NATO ratifies and adopts ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform specification as STANAG 5651 – NATO HDRWF NATO has ratified and adopted ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform (HDRWF) specification as STANAG 5651 – NATO HDRWF.ESSOR, the European Secure Software Defined Radio Programme, is managed by OCCAR on behalf of Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. The ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform (HDRWF) is the most mature product of the ESSOR Programme portfolio, that encompasses two ground-centric waveforms (EHDRWF and ENBWF), one air-ground-air waveform (E3DWF), feasibility study for a SATCOM waveform (ESATWF) and propaedeutic engineering activities for the development of a new generation Multifunctional Information Distribution System (ESSOR MIDS) for tactical data link based on ESSOR architecture. The ESSOR Programme is co-funded by the European Commission through the EDIDP initiative.
The ESSOR HDRWF’s excellent performances, including its networking (MANET - Mobile Adhoc NETwork) up to 200 nodes, push-to-talk (PTT), data transmission (IP) with a throughput up to 1MB/Sec, radio silence mode, cohabitation (spectrum sharing) features, transmission security that comprises state of the art frequency hopping and possibility to work in environments where global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal is degraded or denied, have been demonstrated in several occasions at the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXercise (CWIX), the biggest NATO interoperability event.
On 19.10.2023 in Rochester, New York (USA), Mr. Carmelo ROMEO, Through Life Management Section Leader for the ESSOR Programme Division reported to the NATO Member Countries attending the NATO Line of Sight Capability Team (LOS CaT) the promulgation of the STANAG 5651 – NATO HDRWF that is based on the ESSOR HDRWF. This concluded a six month ratification process where 14 NATO Member Countries provided their active support.
STANAG 5651 is under custodianship of OCCAR and is the first STANAG ratified by Finland since its entrance into NATO in April 2023.
FMN, the NATO supported initiative Federated Mission Networking, has proposed to include STANAG 5651 into the FMN spiral 5 specification, which will foster its operational use among its 37 affiliates (including NATO organizations, NATO Member Countries and Mission Partners) by 2027. This choice reflects FMN’s view on ESSOR HDRWF as being an enabler for a rapid instantiation of mission networks and interoperability by supporting high-volume voice and data traffic between armed forces.
The ESSOR ground-centric waveforms (EHDRWF and ENBWF) are complemented by an up-to-date Concept of Operations (CONOPs), created by the ESSOR operational working group composed of operational representatives from the six ESSOR Participating States.