Press release

Free for publication on November 5, 2021, at 2.00 p.m. (CET+1)

a4ESSOR and OCCAR Sign ESSOR New Capabilities (ENC) Contracts, Embark on New Telecommunications Projects Focusing on Armed Forces Interoperability

The contracts will see the development of new ESSOR interoperable waveforms and enhance the pre-existing framework, which ensures the portability of these waveforms onto national radio terminals
 

Oulu, Finland, November 5, 2021 – a4ESSOR S.A.S (Alliance for ESSOR), a multinational joint venture that is developing secure European Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology, has signed a procurement contract with the European intergovernmental Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) to carry out the ESSOR New Capabilities (ENC) project. The initiative has received funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under grant agreement No 044.

ENC aims to develop three new waveforms - ESSOR NBWF, ESSOR 3DWF and ESSOR SATCOM WF - that will increase the interoperability of European Armed Forces. In addition, the project will also see the alliance enhance the ESSOR Framework, in order to manage the waveforms throughout their whole life cycles and ensure their interoperability when ported on national radio terminals.

Mr. Lino Laganà, President and General Manager of a4ESSOR, stressed that the new contract is one of the key enablers of the common European defence. He said that it is a privilege and a great responsibility to run these new projects funded by the European Commission and six ESSOR nations, Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Germany and Finland, following the successful work achieved on the first ESSOR Wide Band Waveform and ESSOR Framework.

The new project forms part of the ESSOR programme, which is aimed at improving the interoperability and security of tactical land (ESSOR WBWF and ESSOR NBWF), Air-Ground-Air (ESSOR 3DWF), and satellite communications (ESSOR SATCOM WF). Ensuring the compliance with ESSOR and Software Communication Architecture (SCA)-based software-defined radio platforms, and applying a very strict methodology of qualification of the interoperability between all the radios that host these waveforms, the programme guarantees an effective interoperability of the Forces on the field.

The procurement contract follows EDIDP ESSOR’s Grant Agreement, which OCCAR, on behalf of the European Commission, and the partners signed last July. It will include the participation of new companies from non-ESSOR nations, namely Telespazio Belgium, a subsidiary of Telespazio (joint venture between Leonardo, 67%, and Thales, 33%), and Edisoft (Portugal).

The EDIDP, preparatory phase of the European Defence Fund (EDF), is a European Union industrial programme funded by the European Commission to support the competitiveness and innovative capacity of the union’s defence industry.

Further information:

Jari Sankala
Senior Vice President, Defense & Security
Tel. +358 40 344 3507
Email: [email protected]
 

Distribution: Main media

About ESSOR (European Secure SOftware defined Radio)

The aim of the ESSOR programme is to develop pan-European Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology in order to improve the ability of Armed Forces to cooperate in coalition operations. The programme was initiated in 2009 under the umbrella of the European Defence Agency (EDA) and it is currently sponsored by the governments of Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain. In addition to the ESSOR WBWF (ESSOR Wide Band Waveform), the programme has produced and validated the definition for a European SDR Architecture, which has been ported and qualified on six different European platforms. The interoperability benefits of the waveform are regularly demonstrated through network tests involving different national platforms.

About a4ESSOR SAS

a4ESSOR S.A.S. is a joint venture organized and existing under the laws of France, set up by six EU leading companies (Bittium Wireless Ltd, Indra, Leonardo S.p.a., Radmor S.A., Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG and Thales Communications & Security S.A.S) in order to coordinate the partners’ activities, manage the ESSOR contracts and promote the ESSOR products.
President and General Manager - Lino Laganà - [email protected]

About Bittium - Defense & Security

Bittium is a trusted Finnish company with over 35 years of experience in advanced radio communication technologies. For Defense & Security market Bittium provides the most modern products and solutions for tactical & secure communications. The products and solutions for tactical communications bring broadband data and voice to all troops across the battlefield. For secure communications Bittium offers proven mobile devices and cyber security solutions certified up to CONFIDENTIAL level.  Net sales in 2020 were EUR 78.4 million and operating profit was EUR 2.1 million. Bittium is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Exchange.  www.bittium.com  
Press contact: Karoliina Malmi - +358 40 344 3507 - [email protected]
 

About Indra

Indra is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers world-wide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defense markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation Consultancy and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2020 financial year, Indra achieved revenue of €3.043 billion, near 48,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.  www.indracompany.com.
Press Office: + (34) 91 480 71 12 - [email protected]
 

About Leonardo

Leonardo, a global high-technology company, is among the top ten world players in Aerospace, Defence and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. Organized into five business divisions, Leonardo has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the USA, where it also operates through subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS (defense electronics), and joint ventures and partnerships: ATR, MBDA, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and Avio. Leonardo competes in the most important international markets by leveraging its areas of technological and product leadership (Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, Cyber Security and Space). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2019 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of €13.8 billion and invested €1.5 billion in Research and Development. The Group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) since 2010 and is named as sustainability global leader in the Aerospace & Defence sector for the second year in a row of DJSI in 2020. www.leonardocompany.com  
Press contact: Flavia Negretti - +39 334 6378422 - [email protected]
 

About Radmor

RADMOR S.A. is a part of WB Group the biggest Polish private capital group engaged in defense industry. RADMOR is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of modern radio communication solutions for army and civil services. The company conducts activities for defense and security of Polish state, manufactures military radios and distributes civil radios. RADMOR engineers focus on of research and development of modern radiocommunication systems as well as devices (handhelds, manpacks and vehicular radios working in HF/VHF/UHF and 2.4 GHz bands), waveforms (narrowband/wideband) and specialized software (e.g. SCA, SCIP, NINE). All of these activities are supported by own accredited laboratory (environmental exposure, EMC compatibility) and production line. RADMOR together with WB Group members provides complete military systems to many armies on entire world. www.radmor.com.pl/eng
Press contact: Tomasz Gil - +48 58 76 55 610 / +48 603 993 390 - [email protected]
 

About Rohde & Schwarz

Rohde & Schwarz is a leading supplier of solutions in the fields of test and measurement, broadcast and media, aerospace, defense, security and networks and cybersecurity. The technology group's innovative communications, information and security products help industry and government customers ensure a safer and connected world. On June 30, 2020, Rohde & Schwarz had about 12,300 employees worldwide. The independent group achieved a net revenue of EUR 2.58 billion in the 2019/2020 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and has subsidiaries in more than 70 countries, with regional hubs in Asia and America. Rohde & Schwarz is the main supplier for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) joint radio system (SVFuA, series name: SOVERON D).  www.rohde-schwarz.com                                                                             
Press contact: Dennis-P. Merklinghaus - +49 89 4129 15671 - [email protected]

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global high technology leader investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations –connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technology – to build a future we can all trust, which is vital to the development of our societies. The company provides solutions, services and products that help its customers –businesses, organisations and states – in the defence, aeronautics, space, transportation and digital identity and security markets to fulfil their critical missions, by placing humans at the heart of the decision-making process. With 83,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated sales of €19 billion in 2019 (on a basis including Gemalto over 12 months).
Press contact: Camille Heck - +33 (0)6 73 78 33 63 - [email protected]  

About Edisoft

EDISOFT is a joint venture between Thales, NAV Portugal and idD Portugal Defence, which promotes and delivers innovative solutions that enhance its customer’s critical systems´ security, on land, sea, air, space and cyberspace, through a technical team of excellence. Having its HQ located in Lisbon, and operating a spatial Ground Station in Santa Maria Island, Azores, EDISOFT is focused on providing to the Portuguese entities with responsibilities in the Aeronautics, Space, Security and Defence permanent access to the most advanced solutions, both in times of conflict, as during peacetime. From integration of Naval & ISR world class systems, to the supply of Maritime Security and highly critical Space services, EDISOFT delivers state of the art ATM, C2 and real-time Space software to some of the most demanding customers worldwide.

About Telespazio Belgium

Telespazio Belgium is a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%). Its activities include the provision of design engineering services to clients such as the European Space Agency (ESA)’s European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, Netherlands and the provision of operations and satellite operations engineering at the ESA's European Space Operations Center (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. Telespazio Belgium has a role in Galileo, the European Union’s positioning and satellite navigation programme, and in EGNOS. The company develops technologies and integrated application solutions relating to logistics, satellite control systems and satellite navigation, the ground segment of launchers, radar and optical tracking systems and support weather systems for space launches, notably for the European light launch program VEGA. Telespazio Belgium participates in major European programmes, developing skills and new lines of activity for the Telespazio group. A key example is the provision of services and skills in the cybersecurity field for satellites and drones.

* This communication reflects only the author's view. The Granting Authority is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.