August 17, 2024
Keywords: Electronic Warfare, Anti-Jam, Counter Jam, LPD/LPI, Low Probability of Detection, Low Probability of Interception, Spoofing,
Jam resistant, undetectable, untrackable, and quantum-resistant covert communications
Introduction
SmartBeam-QRC™ is an AI-driven, quantum-resilient communications platform engineered to provide secure, low-probability-of-detection/interception (LPD/LPI) and Anti-Jam (AJ) radio frequency (RF) links for autonomous and crewed systems operating in contested electromagnetic environments. Being developed under NAVAIR SBIR Phase I/II contracts (N6833524C0170 and N6833525C0170), the solution integrates advanced software-defined radio (SDR) capabilities, AI-controlled adaptive beamforming, and Isidore Quantum® CNSA 2.0-compliant encryption to enable protocol-free, tamper-resistant, covert communications.
By dynamically sensing and steering transmission beams, SmartBeam-QRC™ reduces electromagnetic signatures, mitigates jamming threats, and ensures signal integrity for unmanned aerial (UAV), surface (USV), and underwater (UUV) vehicles, as well as mobile command posts, even in GPS-denied or SATCOM-limited environments.
The platform’s design philosophy centers on stealth, resilience, and autonomy. AI-driven adaptive beam steering allows SmartBeam-QRC™ to direct RF energy exclusively toward intended recipients, significantly lowering detectability by adversary sensors. Its neuromorphic processing FPGA enables real-time waveform agility and spoofing resistance, while multi-channel bonding and mesh networking enhance redundancy and link stability. Unlike legacy communications systems dependent on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) or key loaders, SmartBeam-QRC™ eliminates traditional crypto management overhead through ephemeral key generation, reducing operational complexity and COMSEC handling burdens. This results in a quantum-secure, non-CCI, low-SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) device suitable for integration across platforms and domains.
Field testing has validated the platform’s performance advantages. During the U.S. Navy’s “Silent Swarm 2025” exercise, SmartBeam-QRC™ was successfully integrated into a HAVOC AI USV, demonstrating its ability to maintain secure, low-signature communications in a live, multi-domain operational scenario. Measured improvements include a threefold enhancement in LPI/LPD characteristics and a sixtyfold increase in instantaneous bandwidth over standard SDRs. These capabilities make SmartBeam-QRC™ at least four times harder to detect than conventional protocol-based radios, directly addressing U.S. Navy requirements for resilient, adaptive, and future-proof communications under JADC2 and Ghost Fleet Overlord initiatives.
SmartBeam-QRC’s adaptability extends beyond military applications. In commercial sectors, SmartBeam-QRC™ can secure communications for critical infrastructure operations, including offshore oil and gas platforms, autonomous shipping, 5G/6G telecommunications, environmental monitoring, and disaster response. Its scalability allows deployment in both manned and unmanned systems, supporting mission profiles where signal concealment, data security, and resistance to electronic attack are paramount. By leveraging the same AI-driven RF deception and beamforming capabilities proven in military exercises, the platform ensures that sensitive operations remain shielded from interception and disruption.
SmartBeam-QRC™ is on track for TRL 7 demonstration readiness in Q1 FY26, with full acquisition readiness projected for FY27. Target transition programs include Navy UxS communications modernization, Ghost Fleet Overlord, USMC mobile command nodes, and distributed maritime operations. By combining AI-enhanced beam agility, quantum-resistant cryptography, and a low-SWaP modular form factor, SmartBeam-QRC™ delivers a next-generation communications capability that enables secure, autonomous mission execution across air, surface, and subsurface domains—ensuring operational advantage in the spectrum-contested battlespace of the future.
Spoof your geo-location or disappear altogether