On February 15, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) granted Rohde & Schwarz certification for classification level SECRET for the joint radio system of the German armed forces (SVFuA). The certification allows transmission of data and voice in the classification levels, unclassified, restricted and SECRET, allowing classic command and control capability at all echelons.
In 2017, following many years of joint development, the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) signed a contract with Rohde & Schwarz for the procurement of the SVFuA (series designation SOVERON D). SOVERON D operates on the principle of the software defined radio (SDR) and offers secure, trustworthy communications. Rohde & Schwarz relied on its in-house cryptology development as a key national technology.
When development ended in 2016, it was determined that SOVERON D met the requirements for certification. Certification in line with the internationally recognized Software Communications Architecture (SCA 2.2.2) standard for SDR radio systems was a prerequisite for customer acceptance.
“SOVERON D is one of the most advanced commercially available SDRs with unique capabilities, and Rohde & Schwarz expects it to give future projects of the German armed forces an enormous boost toward connected, secure and jam-proof transmission of voice and data,” explains Hartmut Jäschke, Executive Vice President Secure Communications and member of Rohde & Schwarz Corporate Management. “The SOVERON network architecture from Rohde & Schwarz, consisting of SDRs and associated network-capable waveforms, is a key prerequisite for a comprehensive, interoperable system solution.”
In the future, SOVERON D will also use the ESSOR high data rate waveform that was developed within the framework of the trans-European interoperability initiative for armed forces at the tactical level, an initiative the Federal Republic of Germany has joined. In line with the SDR concept, further waveforms can be later loaded on SOVERON D as software. This makes SOVERON D a secure investment for the future and supports the digitalization of the German armed forces. The project is on track to deliver the first series-produced units to the customer.”
