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Thales JTRS Radio Achieves Government Certifications ' First in Industry

06 January 2006

Or JEM, has achieved Software Communications Architecture (SCA) certification by the U.S. Government. The JEM Operating Environment has been certified as "SCA Compliant with Waivers," making it the first JTRS radio to be certified by the JTRS Joint Program Executive Office (JPEO) for SCA compliance.

Additionally, the JEM has been certified by the National Security Agency to protect the confidentiality of voice and data up through the TOP SECRET level. Thales' JEM is the first SCA-certified JTRS radio to be approved by NSA for Type 1 encryption.

The JEM has been developed as part of the JTRS Cluster 2 program, on which Thales Communications is the prime contractor. The JEM's Type I encryption is provided by the General Dynamics' Advanced INFOSEC Machine (AIM) software programmable encryption engine.

The Department of Defense JTRS program provides warfighters with a flexible standards-based approach to meet their diverse communications needs with "future-proof" capabilities. Using SCA software-defined radio technology, this new family of highly interoperable radios will serve as the backbone for the network-centric force.

"Under the Government's Cluster 2 Program, the Thales JEM has successfully passed the complete gauntlet of Government testing and evaluation, ensuring that the radio will meet the needs of the warfighter," said Mitch Herbets, president and CEO of Thales Communications. "SCA and Type 1 certifications are the latest steps in this process and prove that the SCA can be implemented in a size, weight, and power-constrained environment without impacting battery life and start-up time. The SCA and NSA certifications represent a significant milestone for communication technology and the JTRS Program."

The government's comprehensive testing of the JEM has included the Early Operational Assessment, Formal Qualification Testing, Government Development Testing, Government Operational Testing, Joint Interoperability Test Command Interoperability Testing, TEMPEST Testing, and National Security Agency (NSA) Certification. For the warfighter, this means a low-risk, battle-proven solution certified to provide a crucial, fully interoperable communications capability.

This milestone is an excellent reflection of the accomplishments that can be realized through government-industry partnerships. The JTRS JPEO, NSA, and Thales Communications worked closely and cooperatively to successfully resolve the "pioneering issues" related to being the first to go through the certification process.