NATO has adopted the European Secure SOftware defined Radio (ESSOR) High Data Rate Waveform (HDRWF) developed by the a4ESSOR consortium as the STANAG 5651 interoperability standard for tactical communications with radio platforms.
The consortium, which comprises Bittium (Finland), Indra (Spain), Leonardo (Italy), Radmor (Poland), Rohde & Schwarz (Germany) and Thales (France), stated in a 23 November 2023 press release, “This result recognises the high performance and advanced features already demonstrated by a4ESSOR throughout the development and qualification of the ESSOR HDR Base Waveform. Following the ratification of the standard, the waveform will be available for all NATO member countries, enabling them to communicate in a faster and more secure manner in national and coalition operational scenarios.”
The ESSOR HDRWF is a broadband waveform operating in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band between 225 MHz and 400 MHz. It can handle data rates up to one megabit per second – real-time automatic adaptation capability – and maintain voice and internet protocol (IP) data in mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) mode. The ESSOR HDRWF network maintains full operations even when global navigation satellite signals are unavailable.
Lino Laganà, president and general manager of a4ESSOR, was quoted by the consortium as saying: “The adoption of the ESSOR HDRWF waveform is a source of great satisfaction for our international team, which is proud to see its work recognised by the most important military organisation in the world. NATO’s ratification concludes a development cycle that was conceived according to a visionary approach to interoperability that remains unique worldwide. The development cycle was performed by an exceptional team that was able to operate in a cohesive and supportive manner, despite comprising professionals from six different companies in six different countries.
“This achievement,” added Laganà, “is a further incentive for us to continue to develop new narrow-band and air-ground-air waveforms – an area in which a4ESSOR has been engaged since 2021 – with the same winning approach to interoperability and in the interest of European countries and NATO.”
The HDRWF waveform, already integrated into the radios of a4ESSOR industrial partner nations Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain, achieved validation by passing interoperability tests last year. This demonstrated the high performance of the ESSOR HDRWF, including new multi-hop push-to-talk, radio silence mode and cohabitation (spectrum sharing) features. These capabilities were also demonstrated during the 2022 and 2023 Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX): NATO’s largest interoperability event.
