Achieving sovereign, resilient and secure communications capabilities.
Northrop Grumman is a global aerospace, defence and security company, supporting a variety of programmes including secure communications for military, government and large companies.
Challenge
Take an ambitiously compact, complex, and radically innovative product architecture from concept to functional prototype in thirteen weeks.
The lightweight SCS-200 delivered a level of functionality, which historically would have required equipment the size and scale of multiple very large suitcases. Today, the SCS-200 is providing secure communications to multiple governments, all in a single package the size of a book.
The lightweight SCS-200 delivered a level of functionality, which historically would have required equipment the size and scale of multiple very large suitcases. Today, the SCS-200 is providing secure communications to multiple governments, all in a single package the size of a book.
Secure communications from anywhere in the world
The SCS-200 is designed to allow one to four users simultaneous access to a range of secure networks, from highly classified to unclassified, anywhere in the world.
Technically there were five key challenges:
- Ensuring the fifteen custom circuit boards delivered the required performance.
- Creating an internal stack-up capable of achieving the necessary component nesting density.
- Positioning all external ports in locations to achieve the desired usability outcome.
- Thermal management.
- And finally, EM shielding for mitigation against external threats.
Fostering long-term relationships.
In 2022, Northrop Grumman Australia and IntelliDesign partner for sovereign secure communication capability.
“Our agreement with IntelliDesign will help ensure Northrop Grumman Australia is able to deliver sovereign, resilient and secure communications capabilities to support Defence and Commonwealth agencies,”
Christine Zeitz, General Manager, Northrop Grumman Asia-Pacific.
“This partnership forms part of our long-term strategy to be Northrop Grumman’s electronic design and manufacturing partner of choice in the development of future communication devices.”
Matt Bromwich, IntelliDesign CEO.
Project Features
- Highly collaborative project between Northrop Grumman (M5 Networks), 4Design and IntelliDesign.
- Multiple power sources with auto-swap over - AC, DC, PoE or internal battery.
- Connectivity options through Wi-Fi, Cellular, Satellite, Ethernet, ADSL and USB. Precision timing through GPS.
- Three entirely segregated onboard processor systems interfacing to two separate touch screens.
- Crypto-agnostic, allowing re-use of clients’ current encryption modules.
- PoE supply provides isolated power for multiple external peripheral networked devices, such as VoIP phones and IP cameras.
