Tactical Sensor Networks.
R&D and Proof of Concept.
Developing modular, secure, and isolated infrastructure for tactical environments.
This page is prepared for journalists, defence analysts, and industry publications covering Finnish defence innovation and emerging sensor technology. All specifications reflect current prototype capabilities and design targets.
About VALIX Defence
Please note: “VALIX Defence” is currently a working title for an independent Finnish R&D project. The final branding, company structure, and product names will be established at a later stage of development.
VALIX Defence is an independent Finnish R&D project working to solve the challenge of reliable, secure sensor data acquisition and transmission in tactical and contested environments where commercial off-the-shelf solutions are inadequate.
The project has produced functional prototypes of the Node S1 sensor node and Gateway G1 network infrastructure. Core functionality sensor data acquisition, local aggregation, and API routing. has been demonstrated in controlled lab conditions.
Active development is focused on implementing robust end-to-end encryption, long-range RF communication, and network isolation. The long-term vision targets full NATO interoperability and C2 integration.
Project Facts
- Location
- Finland
- Current Phase
- Proof of Concept (PoC)
- Focus
- Modular Sensor Networks & API Integration
- Hardware
- Functional Prototypes: Node S1 & Gateway G1
- Target domains
- Military · Border security · Critical infrastructure
Project phases
The project follows a phased development approach, progressing from initial proof of concept through to full-capability validation and system integration.
Proof of Concept
Core functionality established. Successful deployment of Node S1 and Gateway G1 prototypes. Basic sensor data acquisition and API routing working in controlled lab conditions.
Security & Long-Range Transmission
Implementing robust End-to-End Encryption (E2E) and secure, long-range RF communication protocols. Hardware cryptographic acceleration and secure key management.
Hardening & Field Validation
Physical hardware hardening, testing in extreme weather conditions, and isolated network deployment exercises including red team adversarial testing of the sensor network.
Advanced C2 Integration
Full integration with external Command and Control (C2) systems, TAK, and NATO-compatible API standardisation. Target: STANAG-aligned data exchange for allied interoperability.
Dual-Use & Commercial Applications
Adapting the core technology for civilian dual-use applications, broadening the potential deployment base to include border surveillance, critical infrastructure protection, search and rescue operations, and environmental monitoring.
Branding & Commercialisation
Finalizing the brand and corporate structure to secure Seed Funding from top-tier Nordic deep tech investors (targeting partners like Lifeline Ventures) to scale operations and acquire the first Dual-Use pilot customers.
Defence-grade by design
Four foundational capabilities distinguish VALIX Defence from commercial IoT and enterprise sensor vendors, each engineered for the threat model of modern tactical operations.
Modular Sensor Networks
The PoC architecture is built around independently deployable sensor nodes that form arbitrary topologies perimeter, grid, or linear without a single point of failure. Initial prototypes validate autonomous per-node operation and independent reporting to the gateway layer.
NATO Interoperability (Design Goal)
The system architecture and API design are being developed with NATO STANAG data-exchange standards as a target. Integration pathways to TAK (Team Awareness Kit), C2 platforms, and allied intelligence systems are planned for Phase 4 of the roadmap.
End-to-End Encryption
Our prototypes are built with E2E encryption as a foundational requirement, not an afterthought. The architecture ensures sensor telemetry is encrypted at the device layer before transmission no relay node, including Gateway G1, can inspect payload data. AES-256 is the target standard.
Network Isolation
A core design principle of the PoC is air-gap capability. The gateway is designed to operate fully without external connectivity, with all telemetry aggregation and processing occurring locally. This is actively tested in isolated lab network environments.
VALIX prototype line
Three components forming a complete sensor-to-command data pipeline. Node S1 and Gateway G1 are functional prototypes with validated core behaviour. The Interface API is under active development.
Working prototype of a low-power wireless sensor node designed for tactical field deployment. Core data acquisition and transmission validated in lab conditions.
Full specificationKey Specifications
Working prototype of a tactical gateway aggregating multi-node telemetry with local edge compute. Powered via PoE for both power and local network bridging, no external internet required. Processes all data locally and can integrate directly into offline TAK networks on the battlefield, or route to external C2 systems if an uplink is available.
Full specificationKey Specifications
API platform normalising sensor data from Node S1 and Gateway G1 into standard formats for downstream consumption by C2 or analytics systems.
Full specificationKey Specifications
Sensor-to-command data pipeline
Each hop maintains end-to-end encryption. No relay node including Gateway G1 has access to plaintext sensor payloads. Decryption occurs exclusively at the authorised consumer endpoint.
Threat model & mitigations
VALIX Defence was architected against the realistic adversarial threat model facing tactical sensor networks in contested environments.
AES-256 hardware encryption at the node layer, payload is opaque to all relay infrastructure.
Current PoC-phase hardware is susceptible to RF jamming, as is any wireless system. No wireless technology is 100% immune. Future R&D will focus on signal resilience, frequency agility, and spread-spectrum techniques to make jamming as difficult and costly as possible for an adversary.
Air-gappable topology, gateway operates without externally routable addresses in isolated deployments.
Per-node key isolation, a compromised node cannot decrypt the traffic of any other node in the network.
Secure boot, firmware signing, and hardware attestation are targeted for all Node S1 and Gateway G1 production units.
“Many existing solutions suffer from heavy protocols that significantly reduce battery life, and closed ecosystems that prevent seamless data sharing with other battlefield systems such as TAK. The VALIX concept is designed from the ground up to be lightweight, integrable through open APIs, and energy-efficient.”
— VALIX Defence, core design rationale
Assets & documentation
Get in touch
Available for journalist interviews, analyst briefings, and live prototype demonstrations. Reach out to arrange a walk-through of the Node S1, Gateway G1, and API platform.
Available for journalist interviews, analyst briefings, and live prototype demonstrations. Reach out to arrange a hands-on walk-through of Node S1, Gateway G1, and the API platform in person or via secure video call.
Response time: Enquiries are typically answered within one business day. Prototype demos are conducted in person or via secure video call and can be arranged for qualified journalists and analysts covering Finnish defence or sensor technology.