Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • SPX CommTech launches latest COMINT 953 RF Receiver

Defence Events

SPX CommTech launches latest COMINT 953 RF Receiver

SPX CommTech, formed by TCI and ECS, today launched its next generation 953 Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Radio Frequency (RF) Receiver for identification, direction-finding and tracking of hostile RF signals to support COMINT and Counter-UAS tactical operations.

Image courtesy SPX CommTech

It will be exhibited for the first time next month at DSEI, Excel London (12th-15th September 2023).

The new 953 COMINT RF Receiver builds on the success of its predecessor and now boasts reduced size and weight, but with greater power. This makes the device portable for dismounted operations and easily mounted on a vehicle to support mobility operations. For example, it can be carried to an elevated position in a dismounted role, such as a tactical position only accessible on foot or on top of a high-rise building, to ensure the antenna is situated at height for optimum signal detection and increased range.

Advertisement
PTC rectangle

The 953 COMINT RF Receiver performs continuous, unmanned, remote and real-time signal collection up to 80MHz bandwidth across a frequency of up to 40GHz for signal monitoring, collection, and direction-finding. This bandwidth delivers a sweet spot between monitoring sufficient signal breadth and amplitude to ensure quality and accuracy in identifying threats.

The 953 COMINT RF Receiver is powered with removable hot-swappable batteries for round-the-clock use. The new compact chassis is IP-67 rated to withstand temperatures up to 50°C to deliver full operational capability in extreme hostile climatic environments. It also boasts increased removable storage of up to 2 TB for enhanced data capture.

Graeme Forsyth, Counter-UAS Product Manager at SPX CommTech said: “All around the world, heightened political, military and societal tension, and the growing use of electronic warfare, demonstrates the unparalleled importance of managing and understanding the RF spectrum today. Threat analysis and response are critical to global security, so we are excited to welcome the next generation product of our successful RF range, currently used across 20 countries.”

The 953 COMINT RF Receiver is powered by SPX CommTech’s well-renowned Blackbird software application, which detects, identifies, direction-finds and tracks signals of interest to support, find, fix and strike operations, and mitigate electronic warfare threats. It also tracks the RF emission of UAVs and their controllers or Data Links to support counter-responses. Blackbird can record the signal environment for look-back analysis without interrupting the current mission. It simplifies the collection task and can trigger automated actions and support unattended operations.

Utilising part of the 953 COMINT RF Receiver, Blackbird also uses geolocation to enable defence teams to visualise the location of the frequencies for improved intelligence-gathering and threat management. Blackbird’s intuitive point-and-click user experience suits all skill levels and is an evolution of the proven intuitive interface in previous models. This ensures minimal training requirements for existing customers while enabling new users to master the system quickly.

The new 953 COMINT RF Receiver is backwards compatible with previous COMINT versions and other technologies from SPX CommTech, for cost avoidance, uninterrupted service and seamless scalability for our users. It can also be integrated with open-source or customer-supplied mapping and other integrations.

The 953 COMINT RF Receiver is available today and current COMINT models in service with customers will continue to be supported by SPX CommTech.

Advertisement
ODU RT

 

 

 

Advertisement
Gulfstream banner
BAE Systems partners with Scale AI on agentic AI for defence

Defence

BAE Systems partners with Scale AI on agentic AI for defence

27 March 2026

BAE Systems and Scale AI have announced a strategic relationship agreement to accelerate the development and fielding of advanced artificial intelligence capabilities in support of the US Department of War’s (DoW) high-stakes mission environments and operational platforms.

Getac launches CommandCore

Defence Security

Getac launches CommandCore

27 March 2026

Getac has announced the launch of its CommandCore rugged drone control solution.

DE&S awards five providers nine contracts to support 3,000 military and police boats

Defence Security

DE&S awards five providers nine contracts to support 3,000 military and police boats

27 March 2026

Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), part of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) National Armaments Director Group, has awarded £283.5 million worth of contracts to maintain and support approximately 3,000 boats across the UK Armed Forces and MoD Police, creating and safeguarding over 100 skilled jobs across England, Scotland and Wales.

JFD appoints Adrian Capner as Managing Director in Australia

Defence

JFD appoints Adrian Capner as Managing Director in Australia

27 March 2026

JFD Global has appointed Adrian Capner as its new Managing Director of JFD Australia, who will take up his new role on 1st April 2026.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Military medics trial AI for the battlefield

Defence

Military medics trial AI for the battlefield

26 March 2026

Scientists from the UK and the US have tested and explored what it would take for medics to delegate high-stakes decisions to AI on the battlefield.

UK and US seek solutions to counter underwater drone threat

Defence

UK and US seek solutions to counter underwater drone threat

26 March 2026

The US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is seeking technology to counter unmanned underwater vehicle threats, for which UK companies can apply, with solutions assessed by jHub, for potential UK defence use.

Advertisement
PTC rectangle
Advertisement
FIA2026 animated banner