Two stories that broke in the last few weeks of 2011 flag what is likely to become an ever-more dominant concern for militaries and defense contractors in the years ahead: the security, or vulnerability, of mobile communications. The two developments underline the challenges that have yet to be overcome as the defense establishment seeks to reap the technological and economic advantages of using cheap, proven, off-the-shelf communications technology. The first item did not, at first, appear to have much to do with defense.

While the Tornado and Typhoon jets that flew strike missions against Libya won most of the plaudits after the NATO air campaign, the British platform that arguably did the most to enhance its reputation was the Sentinel R1.

“When we went out on Herrick 14 in April, we characterized our tour as sitting on the seam,” says Royal Marines Brig. Gen. Ed Davis, commander of Task Force Helmand (TFH), referring to the U.K.'s six-month deployment of troops to the Afghan province, which ended in October. “And that's exactly how it played out.”