RF technology specialists SPX Communication Technologies launches the BLACKTALON Ecosystem, a new counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capability based on the operationally proven BLACKTALON solution.

The BLACKTALON Ecosystem integrates SPX Communication Technologies’ BLACKTALON C-UAS technology and decades of expertise in the space with a vendor-agnostic framework. This approach ensures solutions can meet every customer’s unique requirements. Defence and security teams gain from a tailored approach to their specific concept of operations, threats, user groups, existing capabilities and budgets.

Customers also benefit from SPX Communication Technologies’ extensive experience developing C-UAS solutions for high-threat scenarios from Ukraine to Iraq and other active global hot spots. SPX collaborates closely with customers from their concept stage to operational deployment, ensuring solutions are optimised for specific user needs and mission objectives and remain supported throughout their operational life.

The core BLACKTALON solution includes carefully selected active radars, EOIR, passive RFDF, RF jammer and mast configuration. While SPX will continue to offer this standard configuration, the open architecture of BLACKTALON Ecosystem allows any of these elements to be customised or replaced. This flexibility provides customers access to the latest systems and hardware capabilities without unnecessary barriers and in a suitable timeframe.

For example, customers could choose autonomous optical tracking from OpenWorks, cutting-edge 3D radar from U.S. provider Echodyne, RF subsystems from SPX and mount them on a range of dispersed or centrally located mobile or transportable masts to provide a single scalable BLACKTALON C-UAS capability.

These latest capabilities join the Ecosystem alongside existing providers Chess Dynamics, supplier of surveillance, fire control, and large positioning systems and Blighter, the UK's leading supplier of ground-based electronic scanning radar systems.

Graeme Forsyth, C-UAS product manager at SPX Communication Technologies, said: “The complexity and speed that modern conflict develops means it's impossible for a single C-UAS provider to own all the necessary technologies to provide a best-in-class solution suitable for all forms of threats today and in the future. As a trusted partner for global defence and security teams, our BLACKTALON Ecosystem helps break down barriers to threat response. It continues evolving to support their C-UAS need – all in close collaboration with customers, the industry and supported by our proven technology.”

James Cross, director at OpenWorks, said: “Collaboration is key in the development of successful C-UAS defence technology. Integration and flexibility are at the forefront of system capabilities and requirements. Our inclusion in the BLACKTALON Ecosystem reflects this, and we are proud to be involved with a system that allows end-users a fully customizable design depending on mission-specific requirements.”

David Montague, director EMEAI at Echodyne, said: “Systems are evolving rapidly to address the C-UAS threat, with accuracy, flexibility and ease of integration being key evaluation criteria. We are pleased to be included in BLACKTALON Ecosystem, which provides rich optionality for customers to easily tailor system design and performance to mission and location requirements.”