Kleos Space Ltd, a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service company, has confirmed that the Royal Navy have signed an evaluation contract for Kleos data.

Under the contract, the Royal Navy will have access to Kleos’ geospatial data product: Guardian Locate for evaluation purposes.

“The product delivers geolocated radio frequency transmissions collected over key areas of interest by Kleos’ satellites to complement existing datasets enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.”

Kleos’ Senior Military Advisor, Air Cdre Pete Round commented, “we welcome the opportunity to work with one of the world’s oldest and greatest blue water Navy’s and look forward to a positive outcome to the evaluation period”.

Kleos’ satellites collect data that is used to detect and geolocate radio frequency transmissions, enhancing the detection of illegal activity, including piracy, drug and people smuggling, border security challenges and illegal fishing.

Its global activity-based data is sold as-a-service to governments and commercial entities, complementing existing commercial datasets.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Andy P
Andy P
2 years ago

I’m assuming the Air Commodore is retired and just using his old rank ????

Good stuff, its not just fishermen and people smuggling types that use radio, should be able to pick up navy units that aren’t on the surface too. Suppose it will depend on what frequencies they’re monitoring.

Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon
2 years ago

Imagine nothing new in this, surely?

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
2 years ago
Reply to  Gavin Gordon

I suspect this is more to do with freeing capacity for sensitive things by shifting demand for detecting commercial transmissions to commercial platforms.

Not a lot of point in using expensive resources to track a fishing boat blasting out RF all over the place!

Glass Half Full
Glass Half Full
2 years ago
Reply to  Gavin Gordon

Its the leveraging of commercial space services which is really the news. The US are doing this too, both for surveillance services and also for communications, where for the latter the US are evaluating both the SpaceX Starlink and OneWeb networks.

Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon
2 years ago

SB / GHF – Points acknowledged

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
2 years ago

I believe (hopefully) a large number of OneWeb satellites were due to go up today

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
2 years ago

An effectively huge sensor surface area, from multiple satellites, will also boost sensitivity as well as ability to discriminate and localise signals.

This also makes sense of why HMG was so interested in investing. FYI lasting I looked HMG’s investment of £500m was worth about £3Bn on the open market!

Geoffrey Roach
Geoffrey Roach
2 years ago

What happened to the good old days of a triple six inch and a chief shouting “shoot” down the voice pipe.

col
col
2 years ago

I would have thought they would be using the oneweb system in some sort of capacity.

Julian
Julian
2 years ago
Reply to  col

OneWeb probably has enough on its to-do list already with building up the current constellation to the point where it can provide near-global data connectivity and then possibly the addition of LEO GPS capability as a follow-on if a few open technical concerns can be addressed. I assume RF surveillance needs additional sensors in the satellites, current OneWeb transceivers are designed to operate on quite specific frequencies. Adding extra weight to the OneWeb satellites for the extra hardware required for RF surveillance would not make sense when there is a commercial option readily available. Whilst the OneWeb constellation is still… Read more »

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 years ago

Am I right in believing the “Pusher ” CDDA arrays like the one in Cyprus were/are used for this type of thing?