Newswire & Press Release / Leonardo’s Airborne Software-defined Radio Selected by Boeing to Equip NATO’s AWACS Fleet – Aviation / Aerospace – Leonardo S.p.a.

• The fleet of NATO E-3A early warning and control aircraft is being modernized to maintain its viability until 2035;
• By protecting communications from cyberattacks, Leonardo’s SWave® Airborne SDR SRT-800 radios will provide the aircraft with secure and resistant to cyber voice, data and tactical communication;
• Available to civilian and military customers, the compact and lightweight SRT-800 can equip most aircraft with fixed and rotating wing, manned or unmanned.

One of the few military assets owned and operated directly by NATO (nato.int), the AWACS fleet is being modernized by Boeing to maintain its operational viability until 2035 as part of the Final Life Extension Program (FLEP). .

Leonardo’s SRT-800 will provide the AWACS fleet with secure and cyber-sustainable air-to-air and air-to-ground connectivity. This security is becoming increasingly important for all types of military operations, as cyberattacks remain a clear and current threat. Available to civilian and military customers, the SRT-800’s small size, weight and power requirements allow it to be mounted on most fixed and rotary wings, manned or unmanned. Ideal for upgrades, the SRT-800 radio replaces a number of avionics that have traditionally been separate units, including UHF / VHF radio, SATCOM, SINCGARS and a crypto device.

Under the agreement, Boeing will integrate the SWave® Airborne SDR SRT-800 into the E-3A’s mission system. Because the radios are software-defined, they can be completely reconfigured if necessary by updating the software without having to modify the hardware. This makes radios extremely versatile, as they can be modified simply and cheaply. It should be noted that the radios are compliant with the Software Communication Architecture (SCA) standard for maximum flexibility.

Originally designed as a raised radar platform, the E-3A has evolved over 30 years to meet the realities of geopolitical change. The NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force has become an essential part of the Alliance’s ability to manage air combat and remains operational through successive modernization programs. Leonardo’s SWave® over the air SDR SRT-800 will ensure that NATO’s AWACS fleet remains able to communicate in a secure, cyber-resistant manner until its 2035 decommissioning date.

For Leonardo

Leonardo (leonardocompany.com), a global high-tech company, is among the world’s top ten players in space, defense and security and a major Italian industrial company. Organized in five business divisions, Leonardo has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the United States, where it also works through subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS (defense electronics), as well as joint ventures and partnerships: ATR, MBDA, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and Avio. Leonardo competes in the most important international markets, using its areas of technological and product leadership (helicopters, aircraft, air structures, electronics, cybersecurity and space). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2020 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of 13.4 billion euros.

The group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) since 2010 and in 2020 was confirmed as an industry leader in the space and defense sector for the second consecutive year.