Authored by: SATWAYS LTD
Role in PROTEAS project:
In today’s complex operational environments, early warning and real time intelligence is essential to enable faster decision-making, force protection and more effective coordination. As a Beneficiary of PROTEAS project, SATWAYS contributes to the perimeter security of the Special Operation Forces Command Post (SOFCP) by designing and developing an integrated Perimeter Security System (PSS), an Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) and providing an access control solution. In addition, SATWAYS provides SATCOM to allow communication of SOFCP with field teams, which are forward deployed in the battlefield or in important strategic missions. In following, several key aspects of the above-described components/systems supplied by SATWAYS are presented.
Securing the Perimeter
Special Forces require a command post to allow for the coordination and launching of operations into a hostile environment. This command post needs to be safe and secure so that these forces can concentrate on conducting their designated operations. The command post needs to be low profile, hidden if possible and passively monitor the surroundings for ground or aerial threats. Several sensors are integrated into PROTEAS some of which are mentioned in current blog post and others which will be mentioned in future blog posts. These sensors are the acoustic arrays, the patrolling robodog and E/O arrays along with our own ground sensors mentioned in the next section. Entrance and Exit to the command post needs to be monitored because in rare cases the threat might come from the inside or remarkably close to home. All these sensors provide valuable information about their status and provide immediate alarm capabilities should they detect something. Their information is managed by the Perimeter Security System (PSS) of the SOFCP, which is a fully deployed command and control platform provided by SATWAYS using its commercial ENGAGE CSIM platform. The platform provides the officers with an awareness of the surroundings of the command post, ensuring the quick escalation of potential threats. The awareness of the surroundings is enriched with a GIS system which provides location information about the sensors, threats detected and escalation of incidents. A number of modules are available which can be used to manage personnel and vehicles, hierarchy in the command post, users and roles, and sensors and their visual display. The platform also manages day-to-day running of the command post such as patrols inside and outside, ensuring a unified management platform for command post operations. The platform supports several military and civilian standards (STANAG, SAPIENT, EDXL, OGC, CISE, ASTERIX) ensuring interoperability and quick integration with information sources, current and future sensors.
Monitoring access
Ensuring access to the command post is monitored both for operational reasons and threat awareness, we have made available two access control systems which are integrated into the PSS. These are COTS equipment which ensure availability and standardized interfaces. Access by personnel and vehicles is monitored using biometric features and number plates, respectively. Any unauthorized access can be escalated to the command post commander easily for quick interception.
Passively detecting ground vibrations for early threat detection
SATWAYS’ UGS is a portable, low power, autonomous, compact, lightweight and covert solution designed for continuous ground surveillance. Edge processing allows for the UGS to be instantaneously triggered by incoming threats, and to promptly transmit detection alerts to the PROTEAS PSS. It provides a tactical edge in the field, and it is scalable to allow for wide area surveillance. Following the multi-zone approach of the PROTEAS PSS, the UGS is set at the outer detection zone, enabling early warning on intrusions.
Current Design of SATWAYS’ UGS prototype integrates a high-sensitivity geophone(s), analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, and a low-power embedded edge processor for real-time signal analysis. Ground vibrations are captured, digitized, and pre-processed in situ, using advance filtering techniques. Event Detection algorithm(s) identify ground vibrations induced by footsteps and vehicles. Upon detection of an event, the device autonomously sends a trigger notification to the PSS over the 5G network, ensuring alerts are received within seconds.
SATWAYS’ UGS has the following key technical and operational features:
- Real – Time Target Detection: Using advanced signal processing techniques and embedded processing, ground targets such as footsteps and vehicles are timely and efficiently detected.
- Wide Surveillance Range: Using a single UGS as the baseline sensor post, ground induced vibrations from footsteps and vehicles can be detected up to tens of meters and hundreds of meters respectively. Multiple sensor posts can provide optimal coverage of the field of interest, spreading out the surveillance range.
- Extended Operational Lifecycle: Through low-power strategies and efficient peripheral management, UGS maintains fully autonomous battery-powered operation.
Communications from a Far
To ensure vital communication between the Command Post and SOF units in remote or regions where no communication infrastructure exists, SATWAYS has made available a SATCOM solution, built on COTS equipment, to provide uninterrupted broadband connectivity and capability (Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) communications). SATCOM solution was built on user requirements and use-cases related to geographic area, transmission services interface, secured and protected virtual IP Circuit, selected RF /IF components, budget analysis with selected satellite to be used, and quickly deployable solutions with portable Flyway antennas, to allow high data rates (voice, video, data).
Expertise in Defense Technology
SATWAYS supports the Defense sector (land, sea, air, cyber, space) with state-of-the-art Command, Control, Coordination and Intelligence (C3I) and Passive Sensing systems designed to enhance situational awareness, mission coordination, and operational effectiveness. Our integrated platforms enable military and security forces to monitor complex environments, manage field operations in real-time, and respond swiftly to emerging threats.
About SATWAYS LTD:
Satways Ltd. is a privately held organization founded in May 2006 and is based in Athens, Greece. The company is dedicated to develop integrated Geospatial command and control solutions for Security and Public Safety applications for police, coast guard, emergency medical service, civil protection and fire & rescue operations, critical public infrastructure protection, transportation security and border monitoring.
With core technology built on open standards, it offers an unmatched range of mission critical enterprise solutions empowering governments and businesses around the world to make better and faster operational decisions.
Its product line includes C2 and C3I enterprise software packages that respond to different operational requirements of Public Safety Agencies such as Distributed Geospatial Data management, Operational Resources Tracking, Incident Management and dispatch, Physical Security Information Management and Natural & Technological Hazards Crisis Management respectively. The common goal though, is to provide effective decision support, to simplify operations, to provide a Common Operational Picture (COP) and collaboration tools across organizations, to collect and disseminate data in the field and to coordinate response units and system users.
SATWAYS LTD
15, Megalou Konstantinou Str.,
Irakleio, Attica, 14122
Greece
https://www.satways.net/