Integrering av sensorer för kommunikationsunderrättelse med avancerade processystem 

Integrating COMINT sensors

Radio Frequency (RF) Communications Intelligence (COMINT) sensors play a vital role in modern electronic warfare, intelligence gathering, and surveillance operations. Sensors like Novator Solutions HUGIN 4000 capture, analyse and process RF signals to extract valuable information. 

Integrating COMINT sensors with analytical and processing subsystems enhances their effectiveness, allowing for improved signal detection, classification and exploitation. This article explores how a COMINT system can be integrated with direction-finding networks, voice recording, human language technology, I/Q recording and digital demodulation.

 

Real-Time Analogue Demodulation and Integration with Digital Demodulation 

Data in communications signals can take the form of analogue or digital modulation added to the carrier frequency. COMINT systems must be able to demodulate and extract that data from the intercepted RF signals.  

HUGIN 4000 has in-built, real-time demodulation for analogue signals – specifically supporting AM, FM, LSB and USB – onboard FPGAs within the system. This capability is typically used for intercepting signals on unencrypted analogue transmissions such those from two-way radios. For digital demodulation, HUGIN 4000 can stream raw IQ (In-phase and Quadrature) data to processing software on a host or server PC.  

Digital demodulators process signals modulated in schemes such as QPSK, QAM and OFDM, making them particularly useful for intercepting TETRA, P-25 or DMR (digital mobile radio) systems, for example. Extracting structured data from intercepted signals enables analysts to retrieve messages, metadata, or control information. These capabilities allow COMINT sensors to effectively demodulate modern digital communications used in military, commercial and covert transmissions. 

Integration with Direction Finding (DF) Networks

Direction finding (DF) is essential for locating signal sources and tracking targets. HUGIN 4000 may be integrated with DF networks using methods such as: Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), which measures the time delay between signal arrivals at different sensors to triangulate the source; and Angle of Arrival (AOA), where an array of directional antennas determines the incoming angle of a signal.

Phase coherence of inputs is key to achieving accurate angle of arrival estimation, and for this reason, HUGIN 4000 allows sharing of local oscillators across RF inputs. HUGIN 4000 may also optionally include an enhanced timing module for IRIG-B or GPS, for even more accurate timestamping of interceptions. Thus, the time of arrival may be compared between multiple spatially-distributed HUGIN 4000 sensors for performing TDOA.

Integration of spectrum monitoring with direction finding capabilities provides improved situational awareness and enables real-time location tracking of emitters for military, law enforcement and security applications.

Integration with I/Q Recording for Signal Research and Countermeasure Development

I/Q data represents the raw, unprocessed RF signal and is crucial for deep signal analysis and reprocessing. High-fidelity I/Q data capture allows analysts to examine signals in greater detail, apply machine learning algorithms for signal classification, and revisit historical signals for further investigation. This capability is invaluable for understanding complex signal structures and developing countermeasures against emerging threats. 

Feature extraction techniques help identify modulation types, signal strength variations, and bandwidth characteristics. Automated classification using artificial intelligence recognizes known and unknown signals, while threat assessment evaluates intercepted signals for intelligence significance. Correlating signals with existing databases helps detect patterns and track adversary communication techniques, allowing intelligence teams to stay ahead of emerging threats. 

HUGIN 4000 allows complex 64-bit I/Q data to be streamed for recording and post-processing, with an option for VITA 49 compliance for interoperability with common signal processing platforms. 

Integration with Voice Recording and Human Language Technology (HLT)

For intelligence operations, recording and storing voice communications intercepted by COMINT sensors is critical. The process involves extracting voice data by demodulating analogue or digital transmissions, storing and indexing recordings for future retrieval and analysis, and synchronising voice recordings with metadata such as geolocation and signal characteristics. These capabilities allow analysts to review intercepted conversations, detect patterns, and identify speakers, significantly enhancing intelligence-gathering efforts.

Human Language Technology (HLT) enhances the ability to process and analyse voice communications intercepted by RF sensors. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) converts voice into text, making it easier to search for keywords. Speaker identification catalogues different voices based on their unique characteristics, while language identification and translation enable real-time understanding of foreign-language communications. Additionally, keyword spotting and sentiment analysis can help to identify critical phrases, threats or emotional tones. These integrations improve the speed and accuracy of intelligence analysis.

Slutsats

Integrating COMINT sensors like HUGIN 4000 with digital demodulators, direction-finding networks, human language technology, and I/Q recording significantly enhances intelligence-gathering capabilities. The combination of these technologies enables real-time situational awareness, deep signal analysis and automated processing. As new threats appear and communication methods evolve, it is crucial that COMINT sensors maintain interoperability with cutting-edge processing techniques and technologies.

For more information on the technical implementation of integrating HUGIN 4000 with subsystems via a TCP/IP API, please read the application note “Integrating HUGIN Servers”.