SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 17 June 2011. U.S. Air Force leaders needed rugged, secure smartphone technology for senior officers at the air staff and major command levels. They found their solution from General Dynamics C4 Systems in Scottsdale, Ariz. General Dynamics is providing 300 rugged Sectéra Edge smartphones to the Air Force, as part of a plan to integrate Secure Mobile Environment - Portable Electronic Devices (SME-PED) into the Air Force consolidated enterprise network, General Dynamics officials say.The Sectéra Edge SME-PED is certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) for transmitting and receiving classified voice and data through commercial WiFi and cellular networks that link to classified and unclassified government networks. Similar to a commercial smartphone, the General Dynamics Sectéra Edge synchronizes a user's calendar, address book, calculator, and notepad with his desktop computer.General Dynamics C4 Systems has delivered thousands of Sectéra Edge smartphone since 2007 to users in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security, and other government agencies that require real-time wireless access to classified information and contact with other users with security clearances.
The Sectéra Edge smartphone operates on existing Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) commercial cell phone networks. The rugged secure cell phone is WiFi compatible, works together with more than 350,000 fielded Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol (SCIP) devices, provides secure data communications classified secret and below, and provides secure wireless voice communications classified top secret and below.
The secure smartphone uses the Suite B encryption algorithm to connect with the DOD Public Key Infrastructure via the government standard Common Access Card. Information stored in the Sectéra Edge is also protected using data-at-rest encryption.
General Dynamics developed the Sectéra Edge Smartphone as part of the NSA Secure Mobile Environment-Portable Electronic Device program. For more information contact General Dynamics C4 Systems online at www.gdc4s.com.
