Cubic Demonstrates Flight of Encrypted P5 Combat Training System

Cubic Global Defense has demonstrated Live Flight of Encrypted P5 Combat Training System on tactical fighter aircraft.

Cubic Miniature Encryptor (CME) is an encryption solution readily available to the P5CTS which will accomplish increased security for advanced air combat training as well as P5CTS pod and ground station encryption compatibility with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)’s P5 Internal Sub-system, the company announced today.

The P5CTS is designed to provide real-time and post-mission training for air-to-air, air-to-ground and surface-to-air combat missions by displaying the live-air picture, recording mission data, and relaying Time, Space and Positioning Information (TSPI) between participating aircraft during training sorties.

The key components of the system include GPS-enabled, aircraft-mounted airborne instrumentation “pods” plus ground stations, which help aircrew conduct, monitor and control air combat training and post-flight debriefing.

During the demonstration, two Draken fighter aircraft carried the encrypted P5 pods. A P5CTS Live Monitor ground station was also upgraded with CME, allowing the engineers to track the aircraft for the full duration of the flight, including taxi, takeoff and landing.

The TSPI data and uplinked manual kill notification were passed across the P5CTS encrypted data link.  In addition, Cubic was able to verify backwards interoperability of the CME through an unmodified P5CTS Live Monitor ground station and an unencrypted pod on a third aircraft. This allowed the encrypted system to ‘see’ and relay the unencrypted data from the P5 pod, while the unencrypted system could relay, but not ‘see’ the encrypted P5 pods.

“The CME is a migration path for upgrades to air combat training system ranges, and encryption is one of the incremental upgrades needed to develop a true live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training capability.” Michael Knowles, vice president and deputy general manager of Air Ranges, Cubic Global Defense.

Cubic’s CME has the capability to encrypt sensitive information including increasingly complex fighter tactics, offering an immediate layer of security protection.