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RINA Space & Defence

With over 250 core consultants in Space & Defence alone, we provide a comprehensive range of services to enable defence capability, optimise operations, ensure compliance and stimulate R&D

We work with organisations for whom safety, reliability and security are critical and where digital technologies underpin innovation and competitiveness, striking a balance between cost effectiveness and sustainability goals without compromising operational outcomes.

Our customers value the strength and depth of our expertise, drilling deep into human factors, security and cyber security, EMC testing & flight dynamics, legislative compliance, ICT & software engineering, hardware development, test equipment and data science.   

With a history of working with government defence ministries, space agencies and prime contractors, our capabilities support programmes across all domains and throughout the entire lifecycle. Our data scientists, analysts and digital experts work alongside our traditional engineering and consultancy capabilities to ensure that we offer the best possible advice and solutions, and our ability to react quickly to changing requirements and be flexible and agile in our approach enables us to provide sustainable and value-added solutions to our customers. 

Our main services

Protecting a complex digital system or critical infrastructure is an expensive and challenging task. With an increasing dependence on information systems and technology, the need, importance and relevance of information security management is well acknowledged and recognised by decision makers and stakeholders, though questions on securing business and its information systems remain.  

Security management helps system developers and organisations face these questions. It most often follows an iterative and continuous approach that defines the environment and security objectives and identifies threats, then plans mitigation actions by performing a cost/benefit analysis that considers the ranking of risks and cost of security countermeasures and procedures. Finally, it implements the security controls, evaluates residual risk and iterates the process to reach an acceptable risk level.   

RINA provides security management services to public agencies and private companies through an integrated security information system implementing a comprehensive security framework that encompasses all aspects of security management, communication, cyber, and physical security. 

Our main services include: 

- Security Governance

- Risk Assessment

- Security Policy Review/Definition

- Definition of requirements (SSRS, SESRS, SISRS)

- System Configuration Verification

- Vulnerability Assessment

- Penetration Testing

- COMSEC/TEMPEST Consultancy

- Support to Certification & Accreditation

- Awareness & Training Campaign

Over the past few years the world has experienced profound changes continuously connecting us with each other and our surrounding environment. This form of globalisation is driven by the rapid development of ICT devices and systems. The trend of system integrators is to rely more and more on commercial components, with the vast amount of data available representing a great opportunity to provide unimaginable services, but at the same time it implies a great risk for privacy and security.  

This transformation is greatly influencing high-tech industries including transportation, aerospace & defence. RINA’s extensive, long-standing business relationships with private industries and government institutions constitutes our consolidated background in software and security engineering, making us a valuable partner for the development of reliable and secure software applications.  

RINA deploys a multidisciplinary design environment for the best understanding of application specificities and system engineering processes, which represent the key factors behind the development of a valid and useful product. Software engineering services cover the entire product lifecycle in accordance with ISO/IEC 12207, EN 50128, MIL-STD-2167A, MIL-STD-498, ECSS E40-B and DO-178B engineering standards and can be tailored from waterfall to agile methods as required. 

Our main software engineering and development services cover: 

- Computer-aided engineering tools  

- Modelling & simulation  

- Embedded systems 

- Smart user interfaces  

- Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)  

- IT system security  

- Product assurance and software reliability  

- AR/VR prototypes  

- AI/ML applications 

RINA’s experience in electronic systems engineering is built on several years of proactive support to industry and end users (including public organisations, ministries, international agencies, and the armed forces) across the space, defence and security markets, where engineering and specialist consulting services are tailored to the needs and objectives of long-term national and international programmes.

Services cover the full system lifecycle from specification and design to integration, from modelling and simulation to prototyping, testing and validation of combat systems, radar, monitoring and surveillance systems, simulation frameworks and ICT and communication equipment. 

ILS (Integrated Logistics Support) is a structured and disciplined approach which includes a range of support and support-related analytical activities to deliver an effective support solution across the product lifecycle by influencing design to improve supportability, identifying support requirements and cost drivers, developing and providing through-life support solutions and resources, and achieving the lowest cost of ownership. 

We help our clients understand issues and risks in order to implement successful ILS programmes that deliver a fully integrated approach across a range of disciplines. Working with them, we lay the support foundations to ensure availability requirements can be achieved, delivering a tangible competitive edge and differentiator that not only increases their reputation on the global market, but creates new, repeat revenue streams. 

Examples of specific activities we perform include: 

- ILS management – including ILS programme tailoring and costing  

- Training needs analysis 

- Comparative analysis and trade-offs  

- Failure modes effects & criticality analysis 

- Availability, reliability & maintainability engineering  

- Safety and environmental assurance  

- Reliability-centred maintenance 

- Lifecycle cost analysis and modelling  

- Post-design support 

RINA can design and develop UAV flight management and control systems with custom GNC algorithms for mission specific purposes. Furthermore, we can support clients through the UAS certification cycle in compliance with STANAG-4703. 

We are able to design and develop ground control stations for unmanned aerial systems, performing the verification and validation cycle according to DO-178C. Human machine interface studies and development are aligned to the latest HMI standards of 5th generation fighter cockpits, and collision avoidance algorithms have been developed within the framework of UAV-Civil Aviation Integration research programmes.  

Among our success stories, we can count the design, development and certification (DO-178C DALB compliant) of safety critical software such as terrain avoidance systems. 

RINA can design and develop special tools for test equipment, automatic test equipment and test JIGs for board debugging and testing, taking care of all the developmental phases including mechanical, electrical, and electronic custom design, COTS integration, and software development, according to customer requirements. 

We’ve developed and supplied special tools and automatic test equipment for avionic apparatus installed on the M345/M346 trainers, AW249 helicopters and on unmanned vehicles (P1.HH), and can also provide complete EMI/EMC compliance certification for all equipment supplied.  

We develop our test equipment according to the IPC-A-610 (Acceptability of electronic assemblies) and IPC-A-620 (Requirements and acceptance for cable and wire harness assemblies) standards in order to guarantee the highest levels of quality for our products.  

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) is the ability of electronic and electrical equipment, systems and installations to operate satisfactorily in their electromagnetic environment without any degradation or loss of function, and without interfering with other systems in the neighbouring environment. An effective EMC assessment is critical to the safety and reliability of all systems regardless of the industry. Failure of systems to operate in their own environment can lead to poor system reliability which can also compromise safety. 

The introduction of standards and legislative requirements has increased EMC awareness across industries, requiring designers, contractors, operators and infrastructure owners to undertake thorough EMC assessments, risk analyses and EMC design studies in order to demonstrate compliance and meet legislative and contractual requirements. 

With many years’ experience supporting clients in EMC system assurance activities, RINA can give you access to a wide range of expertise that will reduce the vulnerability of systems and can implement bespoke optimum levels of protection. RINA’s experience in systems engineering and EMC analyses is built upon years of proactive support to major organisations, across multiple industry sectors. 

Our services include: 

- EMC management & control 

- EM modelling & simulation 

- EM site survey measurements & characterisation of EM environments 

- EMC qualification, validation & testing 

- EMF exposure risk assessments