A4ESSOR (Alliance for ESSOR), a key initiative advancing interoperable Defence communications in Europe, has achieved a significant milestone with successful interoperability qualification tests using ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform (ESSOR HDRWF), the NATO STANAG 5651. Customer acceptance evaluations were conducted end of November at Radmor’s facilities in Gdynia. This qualification was a critical step in showcasing the capabilities of European Secure Software Defined Radio (ESSOR) technologies to address multinational defence requirements as a valuable solution in addition to the existing legacy waveforms.
The week-long tests were followed by a “demo day”, where representatives from partner nations (including representatives from the European Commission and from the European Defence Agency) observed the results of the trials firsthand. After the previous qualification of interoperability of radios from Leonardo (Italy), Thales (France), Indra (Spain), Bittium (Finland), and Radmor (Poland) embedding the STANAG 5651/EHDRWF waveform a further step was taken with the successful integration of Germany’s and Rohde & Schwarz’s radios in the ESSOR qualified radios interoperability group. This integration underscored the ESSOR HDRWF’s ability to facilitate seamless communication across diverse platforms and nations, affirming its potential to enhance collaborative defence operations. It also confirms ESSOR’s principle that a common base waveform should be designed first to facilitate the porting on several target platforms.
A4ESSOR is a multinational consortium created to develop and promote the ESSOR standards, which ensure secure and interoperable communications for military operations across Europe and NATO countries. The initiative aligns with the European Union’s strategic objectives of strengthening defense cooperation, enhancing autonomy, and improving the efficiency of joint military missions. The programme is coordinated by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation) and involves leading defence companies from across Europe, including: Leonardo (Italy), Thales (France), Indra (Spain), Bittium (Finland), Radmor (Poland), Rohde & Schwarz (Germany). ESSOR technologies are designed to provide secure and high-performance communication for allied joint operations, ensuring compatibility between diverse systems while enabling real-time coordination in complex mission scenarios.
The final interoperability tests with ESSOR HDR WF in Gdynia mark a pivotal achievement for A4ESSOR. By successfully integrating all ESSOR-compliant radios into multinational operations, the programme has demonstrated its ability to harmonize advanced communication technologies under a shared standard. The latest introduction of Germany in this interoperable scheme shows a capability of ESSOR to bridge technological differences to achieve interoperability.
“These tests validate not only the technical performance of ESSOR technologies but also the strong trust and collaboration among European Defence stakeholders,” said Lino Laganà, President and General Manager at A4ESSOR. “The results reflect our shared commitment to advancing scalable, secure, and interoperable communication solutions for Europe’s Defence Forces.”
Looking ahead, A4ESSOR remains a cornerstone of Europe’s Defence modernization strategy. By equipping member states with secure, interoperable, and scalable communication solutions, the initiative strengthens Europe’s collective ability to respond to emerging threats and ensures seamless coordination in joint missions.
As the programme progresses, A4ESSOR will continue to unite nations and industry leaders under a common vision, fostering innovation and collaboration to meet the evolving demands of modern defense operations.
The next steps will involve the ESSOR Nations EHDWF implementations on their respective SDR radios with national Armed Forces representatives running and validating these EHDRWF implementations in a multinational field test operational deployment scheduled in 2029.