Ascending atmospheric sonde
Encrypted weather data acquisition systemThe challenge
Collecting weather data for artillery and special operations requires a powerful system capable of operating across a wide range of altitudes while ensuring data security and integrity. Especially when working in remote or hard-to-reach areas, teams face significant challenges, such as unpredictable weather, limited visibility and dynamic atmospheric conditions.
As there is often a lack of infrastructure or ground teams for real-time data acquisition, decisions must be made under time pressure and uncertainty. To prevent interception by adversaries, the data stream must also be encrypted and difficult to detect. Logistical requirements such as weight and helium consumption also play a key role in ensuring flexible and reliable deployment across a range of operational environments.
Our solution
HENSOLDT’s encrypted weather data acquisition system is a secure, ultra-lightweight and highly mobile solution for use by artillery, airborne forces and special operations forces. The compact system consists of a radiosonde (Windsond S2 manufactured by Sparv Embedded AB), a ground station and control software, all houses in a portable transport case and tailored to military applications. This specially developed weather system transmits atmospheric parameters to a ground station, providing the input data required for precise artillery calculations and aerial drop-point determination. The system is also suitable for routine meteorological observations by geo-information services at airfields.
The probes are available in two modes of operation: as an ascending atmospheric sonde, carried by a helium balloon, or as a drop sonde, which is slowed down by a small parachute. The system was expressly designed to be ultra-lightweight and easy to operate.
Security: The system operates in approved ISM bands (400–440 MHz) or temporarily authorised military frequencies and uses low transmission power for reduced detectability. LoRa modulation and AES-128 encryption are used for enhanced communication security.
Features and benefits
Features
- Total system weight incl. portable case: just 3 kg
- Meets STANAG 4082 and STANAG 4140 requirements
- Cut-down and delete functions secure sensitive data (encryption keys, GPS data)
- Multiple sounding supported
- Internal battery for the ground station (up to 15 hours)
- Developed in accordance with EN 302 054, the harmonised European standard for meteorological aids
Benefits
- Provides accurate weather data in remote and challenging environments
- Supports fast, secure decision-making under time pressure
- Protects data from interception with strong encryption
- Extremely lightweight and easy to transport for flexible deployment
- Long communication range ensures reliable data transfer
- Suitable for artillery, airborne, and special operations forces
- Meets military and meteorological standards for high reliability
- All relevant meteorological data formats available: MET-CM, MET-3B, .temp, Wind-Layers, etc.
- CE-certified