US-based company Sypris Electronics has won a follow-on contract to deliver embedded circuit card assemblies for a cryptographic programme.
The contract was awarded by a US Department of Defense (DoD) prime contractor. The financial terms and other details of the agreement were not disclosed.
As agreed, Sypris will produce and test the assemblies that will be used to perform certain cryptographic functions for the Army Key Management System (AKMS).
Production is expected to start this year.
AKMS is a fielded system comprising local communications security management software (LCMS), automated communications engineering software (ACES) and the simple key load device.
In a statement, Sypris Electronics said: “The AKMS provides tactical units and sustaining bases with an organic key generation capability and an efficient secure electronic key distribution means.”
The LCMS workstation offers automated key generation, as well as distribution and communications security accounting, while ACES is the frequency management part of AKMS.
ACES is designated as the joint standard for use by all services by the Military Communications Electronics Board (MCEB) in relation to frequency management and cryptographic net planning and signal operation instructions generation.
Sypris-produced embedded circuit card assemblies will perform the cryptographic functions for the ‘ruggedised, portable, hand-held simple key load device’ to support transmission of data between compatible cryptographic and communications infrastructure.
Sypris Electronics vice-president and general manager Mark R Kane said: “We are pleased to be a long-term partner on this important secure communications programme that leverages our core competencies in cyber security solutions.
“This is a significant programme for our country and we are pleased to have this opportunity to continue our close, long-standing relationship with this customer.”
In August 2019, Sypris Electronics won a contract from Northrop Grumman to supply mission-critical electronic assemblies.
