Armed Forces
Portable SIGINT Kit for the Army. New Equipment for the Territorial Defence Forces?
The Armament Inspectorate has published an announcement, inviting the potential contractors to participate in a technical dialogue concerning a backpack SIGINT system, which could be used for the purpose of carrying out reconnaissance operations.
The procedure initiated is to make it possible to gather the information required to acquire a backpack system which would be used to carry out SIGINT operations at close distances (minimum of 5 kilometres for the narrow-band signals) or in direct contact with the adversary. Should the operations be executed with the use of several packages, the system should make it possible for the user to localize the hardware utilized by the enemy.
In this way, the individual soldiers, including the soldiers of the Territorial Defence component, would obtain a capability to carry out SIGINT operational activities, on the basis of the emitted electromagnetic signals, sent by, for example, the enemy communication systems. A single kit, along with the relevant hardware, is not to weigh more than 9 kilograms. The system is also going to be tailored to being mounted on vehicles, it should also be operable in a stationary setting, within the framework of a surveillance and tracking outposts network, at night and during the day.
The backpack SIGINT package is expected to be capable of covering the bandwidth between 20 MHz – 8 GHz, with the bandwidth of 3 MHz – 8 GHz defined as the preferred one. The operational temperature range requirement has been set between -10 and +40 degrees Celsius.
The technical dialogue concerning the backpack SIGINT system is to serve a purpose of assessing the chances the offered systems face, when it comes to meeting the initial requirements. Secondly, the procedure would also make it possible to precisely define the logistical aspects, security of the procurement, acquisition cost estimates and costs of operation and potential withdrawal of the hardware acquired, as well as the timeline within which the said process would take place.
The dialogue will take place within the period between July and November 2017, while submissions shall be sent before the deadline of April 14th. Considering the scope and profile of the procedure which is being carried out, the detailed requirements will be transferred to and shared solely with the entities involved in the technical dialogue.