Character
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Create an encrypted comlink for Confederate Forces
- Image Source: MariaMunuera
- Canon Link: Comlink
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: Digikey - Jamming/Anti-Jamming
- Manufacturer: Leviathan Ring
- Affiliation: Confederacy of Independent Systems
- Model: FAL Jam Buster
- Modularity: Yes (Housing)
- Production: Minor
- Material: Duraplast, Plastoid, Isotope-5A, Silicone, Titanium
- Molded - Headset or Ear-canal form factors can be molded to the wear for optimum comfort. Some people might think this an unnecessary feature -- what does a soldier need with comfort -- until they wear a headset for hours on end in the middle of a humid jungle. You can focus on the enemy, or you can focus on the pain in your ear. The designers of this unit had field units in mind.
- Encryption - An encryption module utilizing the latest high-security cipher suite in conjunction with an adaptive programming matrix allowing for periodic full deployment key shifts, full unit encryption, and a Ghostwave transmitter keep signals help prevent units from being reverse engineered, intercepted, or compromised by unauthorized parties.
- Jam-Resistance - A FAL Jam Buster unit is capable of automatic, rapidly adjusting, multi-frequency broadcasting with variable bandwidth sizes.
- Auto-Negotiation - The unit is able to negotiate with the receiver the frequencies, bandwidth sizes, number of concurrent bandwidths, power, and rate of change to maximize security and jamming resistance, while providing the most stable connection available.
- Secure Communication - Allows personnel to establish a secure means of communication.
- Jamming Resistance - Rapid variation in broadcasting attributes limit the effectiveness of attempts to jam communication channels.
- Signal-to-Noise - Jamming technologies may introduce noise into even a transmission able to escape being blocked entirely. This can range from a little static to an almost unintelligible message depending on the nature of the interference. Likewise, there may be some sources of interference the device is unable to overcome due to the interference's exceptional power -- often natural in origin where the frightening might of celestial bodies are on display (e.g. Pulsar).
- Trusted - While the devices can be completely rekeyed to ensure unauthorized parties are not listening in on a device they stole, there is not a way for the device itself to know it has been stolen. A rekey of FAL Jam Buster units needs to be performed in small or large batches; any device reporting to a base unit without the proper keying, however, won't be able to negotiate and establish a secure channel. Rekeying while field units are deployed is therefore practically impossible unless communication blackout is acceptable.
The Confederacy of Independent Systems' various groups -- including but not limited to the Defense Force, Dauntless, and Knights Obsidian -- required a secure means of communicating with one another on the field. In this case, a comlink distributed to trusted personnel often in the field, under fire, and trapped behind enemy lines. One that could be reprogrammed if a Fleet believed those associated with its Transmitter/Receiver base station might be compromised. One able to break through most enemy jamming techniques. Durable, powerful, and portable.
Surprisingly, Falleen Industries offered its services to the Confederacy to furnish such a device. For an extra fee, they even supplied a unit for Confederacy Intelligence Command to disect and analyze down to the component level; with a source-code review of every line. Naturally, this did not come without an iron-clad contract ensuring other companies in the Confederacy did not 'magically' begin manufacturing an uncanny facsimile following such a thorough examination. Perhaps to the surprise of many, no backdoors were found.
There was even off the books discussion about including an extra piece of hardware (Ghostwave transmitter) to connect to a...special network. The Confederacy's Minister of Influence and the Minister of Commerce were equally adamant about ensuring the Falleen did not suddenly begin utilizing this network themselves. It would be very unfortunate should any such abuse be discovered. Economic sanctions might be levied, licenses to operate pulled. All perfectly standard, if severe, penalties for something so sensitive. Naturally, such details were secured under the government's highest level of security with various components distributed among different people so no one person knew what it was or how it was built; with each given a very clear understanding of what happened if they broke the trust given to them.
Once a deal was struck, Falleen began producing the units in various shapes and sizes to suit the Confederacy's needs. After all, such a contract had no end date in sight; it would be quite lucrative for Falleen, and quite beneficial for the Confederacy as a whole.
