Protego: CIA’s secret missile control system

[cabatli_53]

Every week since March Wikileaks has been leaking secrets from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which mainly focus on surveillance techniques and hacking tools employed by its agents.

However this time, the whistleblower organisation has released something different from its previous Vault 7 leaks, because it's not about hacking and spying; instead, it's a—Missile Control System.

Dubbed Project Protego, the PIC-based missile control system is installed on-board a Pratt and Whitney Aircraft (PWA) equipped with missile launch system, which gives it ability to hit air-to-air and air-to-ground targets.

The latest leak contains four secret documents in total from the project Protego, along with "37 related documents (proprietary hardware/software manuals from Microchip Technology Inc)," WikiLeaks says.

Leaked documents reveal system design, a guide on how to configure and build Protego images, and also suggest that all micro-controller units exchange data and signals over encrypted and authenticated channels.
"The missile system has micro-controllers for the missile itself ('Missile Smart Switch', MSS), the tube ('Tube Smart Switch', TSS) and the collar (which holds the missile before and at launch time)."The missile launches only when the Master Processor (MP) unit receives three valid signals from a beacon, including 'In Border,' 'Valid GPS,' and 'No End of Operational Period.'

WikiLeaks is not sure why the secret documents of project Protego were the part of repositories that belongs to the CIA's Engineering Development Group, who are apparently known for developing malware and hacking tools for the agency.

However, notably, the CIA has developed Protego missile control system in partnership with one of a major U.S. defence contractor, Raytheon, who was also mentioned in a previous CIA leak.

Raytheon is the same company that the agency hired for analysing advanced malware and hacking techniques being used in the wild by hackers and cyber criminals.

It seems the name, Protego, has been inspired from the magical Shield Charm used in Harry Potter movies, which helped from physical attacks as wells as magical.

If so, then the primary objective of this missile control system could be to defend something (secret facility or base), from external physical attacks.

Wikileaks
https://thehackernews.com/2017/09/cia-missile-control-system.html?m=1

 

[war&peace]

Well that means only ONE thing, don't buy crap from USA.

 

[-------]

This is why Turkish Airforce is suspicious of it's 'Fly-By-Wire' F-16 for decades and why Turkey has developed it's own mission computer and avionics for F-16 named poject 'Ozgur' translated to 'Free'.

And ofcourse development of Turkish Air-Air missiles

 

[war&peace]

This is why Turkish Airforce is suspicious of it's 'Fly-By-Wire' F-16 for decades and why Turkey has developed it's own mission computer and avionics for F-16 named poject 'Ozgur' translated to 'Free'.

And ofcourse development of Turkish Air-Air missiles

PAF should get this system from Turkey and upgrade its F-16s.

 

[Maarkhoor]

This is why Turkish Airforce is suspicious of it's 'Fly-By-Wire' F-16 for decades and why Turkey has developed it's own mission computer and avionics for F-16 named poject 'Ozgur' translated to 'Free'.

Turk air force found it when they are exercising with Israeli F-16 and when Turkish pilot wants to lock on Israeli F-16 he failed since it shows as friend, same case with USAF.
This friend and foe system is bugged by USA and later Turkey replaced it, OUR MLU F-16 also contains this system for Turkey.

PAF should get this system from Turkey and upgrade its F-16s.

Turkey replaced PAF F-16 with Turkish made friend and foe system but our latest F-16 Block 52+ still flying with the US made system.

 

[-------]

Turk air force found it when they are exercising with Israeli F-16 and when Turkish pilot wants to lock on Israeli F-16 he failed since it shows as friend, same case with USAF.
This friend and foe system is bugged by USA and later Turkey replaced it, OUR MLU F-16 also contains this system for Turkey.


Turkey replaced PAF F-16 with Turkish made friend and foe system but our latest F-16 Block 52+ still flying with the US made system.

You know we lost a few engineers working on F-16 project due to "suicides"...

 

[kris]

Well that means only ONE thing, don't buy crap from USA.

Agreed

 

[cabatli_53]

Establishing national infrastructure to develop domestic missiles on own designed fighter and mission computers to use effectively against your enemy (not the one US described) became vital for each state, otherwise Protego will control US produced missiles for US benefits. That is what we call as kill-switch.

 

[Oublious]

Well that means only ONE thing, don't buy crap from USA.

how sure are you from other countries?

 

[war&peace]

how sure are you from other countries?

About Turkey and China, I can be sure.. though the best is to develop our own system but producing it locally may not make much economical sense. But in JF17 we have full control.

 

[Dai Toruko]

What about F-35?
Can we install 'Ozgur' on F-35?

 

[CAN_TR]

What about F-35?
Can we install 'Ozgur' on F-35?

I'm sure that Turkey will install it's own systems in the future.

 

[egolfs]

What about F-35?
Can we install 'Ozgur' on F-35?

At the moment, as far as I remember, Turkey cannot even install "Ozgür" on the latest F-16 D variants.
The F-35 has millions of lines of software (source code) that even the U.S. is struggling to refine or improve.

Even in cars the "brain" or ECU (engine control unit) controls everything. From what I have read, every F-35s computer systems will be in constant touch with Lockheed Martin's computers. It is terrible to think that a flip of a switch in the U.S. could turn a very sophisticated plane into a very expensive paperweight. Unfortunately it is nothing more than wishful thinking to believe that Turkey will be able to gain access to this plane's computers to install its own systems in the future.

This is why the success of TFX is so important - Turkey needs to develop its own plane, so that it can have access to the source codes or at the very least procure planes from a "friendly" country that will allow access to the source codes.

 

[Oublious]

What about F-35?
Can we install 'Ozgur' on F-35?

will never happen, they should allow us to use our own weapons.

 

[monitor]

will never happen, they should allow us to use our own weapons.

Israel given chance to install some of their own system and weapons if I recall correctly. Turkey may get the chance to install own weapons at best so its important to develop own next generation fighter soon.