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Just when you thought secure satellite communication was the only method for Navy ships to communicate securely, an innovation from Glamox is making waves by enabling encrypted communications through light. The new lighting platform, already in use with a European navy, reinvents Morse code-style communications for modern warships by utilising different colour LED lights to send encrypted messages rapidly. This line-of-sight communication is nearly impossible to hack, and the lighting platform also incorporates advanced searchlight capabilities.
The new system combines a Color Light Optical Communications and Search System (CLOCSS) developed by Glamox, which comprises the digital lighting technology and platform, with communication and control software from the Italian company GEM Elettronica S.r.l., which is part of Leonardo S.p.A.. The combined offering from GEM Elettronica is known as PSAR-100.
The system reinvents the age-old concept of ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications by transmitting Morse Code-like messages via light. The advanced method involves an operator sending an encrypted message to a multi-colour LED module featuring white, green, blue, and red LED lights that rapidly switch on and off to convey colour-coded messages over a distance of up to 6 km. An HD camera is integrated into the lighting platform to receive and automatically read messages from other PSAR-100 systems. The GEM Elettronica software system then decodes replies. The GEM Elettronica control software provides complete control over the CLOCSS unit, including target tracking and gyro stabilisation, enabling communicating vessels to lock onto each other even in seas with waves up to 1.5 m in height.
“Our digital lighting platform is tried and tested and currently operational with a European navy fleet. It is available either as part of a complete functional PSAR-100 system from GEM Elettronica or as a separate digital lighting platform from Glamox for integration with communications and control software from other navies,” said Ronny Orvik, who heads up the defence lighting business at Glamox. “The control and accuracy of the LED lights allow them to be turned on and off with various colour combinations, offering a secure palette for coded messages at sea. It’s Morse Code communication but not as we know it.”
The Luminell-branded lighting platform also features a powerful searchlight with an output of 49,000 lumens and a range of 3.5 km – perfect for search and rescue missions. Furthermore, the platform features an Ultraviolet/Infrared light that can detect fluorescent materials, such as the strips on a lifejacket. It can also identify oil spills at night and enhance a ship's night vision capabilities.
Picture 1: The CLOCSS platform
Picture 2: The searchlight being used on PSAR-100 system. Photo credit: GEM Elettronica