U.S. Air Force information security experts needed advanced embedded cryptography capability for small, lightweight military handheld devices that handle sensitive and classified data. They found their solution from ViaSat Inc. in Carlsbad, Calif.
Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, announced a $13.2 million, five-year contract to ViaSat for the Mini Crypto program, which seeks to develop embedded cryptographic capability for handheld tactical devices with integrated National Security Agency (NSA) tenets.
Mini Crypto is a small, low-power, self-contained cryptographic module that can be embedded in a variety of communication devices to protect data and ensure the authentication of those communicating with it. The Mini Crypto program will secure information sharing not only for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) operations, but also with coalition partners and friendly forces.
Many modern warfighting devices on the battlefield are small, lightweight, and power-efficient, and support sensitive and classified data that must be protected. Modern warfighting missions require key management for mission-time generation and over-the-air distribution of crypto keys to tactical devices. Without a cryptographic solution in tactical devices, communications may be vulnerable to compromise and exploitation. The Mini Crypto program seeks to develop and build embedded cryptographic capability for size, weight, and power (SWaP)-constrained tactical devices that require NSA-mandated data security.
ViaSat will handle full-scale development, low-rate initial production, and full-scale production by designing, developing, building, and integrating all Mini Crypto Modules, including hardware and software. Initially, ViaSat will develop and deliver four prototypes to demonstrate limited capabilities of the Mini Crypto module, as well as three emulators to develop functionalities and interfaces to help with systems integration.
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit ViaSat online at www.viasat.com.
