Aquilon: naval communications for the digital age

In less than 10 years, the Aquilon naval communication system from Thales has been adopted by navies around the globe. What's behind this unprecedented success?

A tried and trusted product that combines an open, modular and scalable IP architecture with robust security to meet the key comms requirements of naval forces in the digital age…
 

The Aquilon success story began in 2005 when France wanted to equip its FREMM multimission frigates with an advanced IP-based communication solution. The requirement was to not only offer shipboard multimedia services and web-based applications, but also ensure interoperability with the other forces and civil agencies the Navy may need to collaborate with in the future.

The idea looked good on paper, but could it be done? Drawing on its experience with over 40 naval and maritime forces worldwide — including the U.S. Coast Guard, which uses Thales HF radios — we went ahead and proved it could indeed be done. Aquilon is a fully integrated communication system built around a secure local IP network that provides a full shipboard and external voice and data communication capability. The core element of Aquilon is the Partner tool, which manages all comms assets, including selection and configuration of antennas, modems, radios, etc., as well as user access rights.

The Aquilon full IP-at-sea solution was a world première and quickly generated interest — and a flotilla of orders — from Colombia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt and others. The system quickly became the solution of choice for navies the world over, meeting their need for round the-clock communications, even when docked. Its high level of security was a decisive factor in its selection by the British Royal Navy for its new flagship the Queen Elizabeth supercarrier, the largest warship ever built in Europe and the UK’s first new carrier for 40 years.
 

The most mature solution in the marketplace today, Aquilon has been fine-tuned and steadily improved based on feedback from customers. Suitable for all operational contexts and all vessel types, the system is particularly prized for its ability to evolve in line with requirements. The average service life of a naval vessel is 40 years, so to keep pace with requirements, it must be possible to modify the architecture of its communication system and add new functionality without compromising overall security. Aquilon was developed with this in mind. Its design concept also reflects Thales’s value-added approach to cybersecurity, which addresses system security as a whole, rather than in terms of individual components or subsystems.

Open, scalable, evolutionary and fully secure, Aquilon delivers shipboard communications via dedicated terminals (telephones, computers, mobile handsets, etc.) and provides a full external transmit / receive capability across the entire frequency spectrum, from VLF to military and civilian satcoms.
 

The next stage is to increase bandwidth and transmission speeds to meet the growing demand for data transfer capabilities. This will be the first step in the transition from a connected vessel to a connected crew. To provide an attractive working environment, navies will need to offer the same kind of connectivity and experience that users are accustomed to on land. In the constricted context of a naval vessel, delivering this capability and managing the vast volumes of data involved is a tough challenge, but Thales is already stepping up to the task!