Kristen Smith 
- The MESH SDR module handles AES-128 and AES-256 encryption and is available across six DTC product lines
- The wearable Sentry Mesh 6161 and the BluSDR-6 built for small drones offer the validated module
- FIPS 140-3, published by NIST in 2019, sets four rising security levels for cryptographic modules protecting sensitive data
DTC‘s MESH SDR Cryptography Module has been validated at Level 2 under Federal Information Processing Standard 140-3, the federal standard for cryptographic modules. The Codan company announced the result in a LinkedIn post Thursday, crediting the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cryptographic Module Validation Program.
What Does FIPS 140-3 Cover?
NIST published the standard in 2019 to replace FIPS 140-2. It applies to federal agencies running cryptographic security systems that protect sensitive information, including voice systems, and to modules built for them under contract.
Four security levels sit within the standard, rising in stringency. Requirements reach module specification and interfaces, authentication, software and firmware security, physical security, self-tests, lifecycle assurance and defenses against other attacks.
Which DTC Radios Use the MESH SDR Cryptography Module?
The MESH SDR module handles AES-128 and AES-256 encryption. DTC said it is available on six product lines: BluSDR-90-UL, SDR-H2, BluSDR-6, BluSDR-30, BluSDR-90+ and Sentry 6161.
The Sentry Mesh 6161 is a wearable radio weighing about 410 grams, built around DTC’s MeshUltra waveforms and capable of joining networks of up to 144 nodes. It puts out up to 2 watts, carries built-in GPS and is certified to MIL-STD-810H and MIL-STD-461G.
BluSDR-6 sits at the other end of the range, a 26-gram module for small drones operating within about six kilometers. Its documentation shows the encryption previously accredited under FIPS 140-2 for MeshUltra waveforms.
How Is DTC Expanding Its Resilient Communications Capabilities?
The Ashburn, Virginia, company won a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground in June, covering resilient communications and mesh networking within a multi-domain architecture.
DTC bought Adaptive Dynamics in May, adding anti-jamming and interference mitigation technology for contested electromagnetic conditions. The company has also announced a maritime communications partnership with Trident Research and a research agreement with Idaho National Laboratory on secure communications and dynamic spectrum work.
