INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Silynx Communications Inc
Gil Limonchik
Chief Executive Officer
Silynx Communications Inc
Gil Limonchik joined Silynx Communications, Inc. (Silynx) in 2005 and has been instrumental in turning the company into the world leader in advanced SOF tactical and covert communication headset systems. Prior to Silynx he spent his career, both military and civilian, working very closely with special operations community in the field of tactical and covert communication systems. Limonchik was responsible for the rapid growth of Thales Communications Inc’s. international business, including introduction of the AN/PRC-148 MBITR into Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway, Israel and numerous other NATO countries. Limonchik was born in New York and in the 1980s served in the Israeli Special Forces. He was a commander in one of the Israeli first tier Special Forces units prior to assuming his civilian responsibilities.
Q: Silynx developed a versatile software-defined tactical communication headset system in less than a year. That system, the QuietOps, rapidly became a success story with the U.S., Israel and NATO SOF community. What do you attribute that to?
A: Silynx Communications Inc. is a U.S.-based company headquartered in Rockville, Md., and we have been building tactical headsets for the world’s elite SOF units for over 17 years. What differentiates Silynx from other companies in this field is that our products were developed hand-in-hand with the special operations community. Our team includes many former SOF operators including key members of our engineering and design team. Our corporate culture is we’ve been there and we know what it takes to successfully complete a mission.
The goal of the QuietOps design team was to create the iPod of tactical audio accessories. This is why we invested in creating a very intuitive man/machine interface [MMI] with a voice prompt/feedback system. With the voice prompts an operator does not have to interpret audio beeps they may hear or look at the radio displays to determine what channel or mode they are in. This way their eyes are not diverted away from the operational situation in front of them.
Q: Over the course of the year, we interview a variety of people. What differentiates the Silynx products, QuietOps for example, from other companies’ products?
A: The QuietOps is an extremely versatile headset system that allows an operator to accomplish a complete mission from pre-briefing to postmission briefing with one headset system.
It was designed as a modular software upgradeable headset and is the only headset system in the world that allows the user to select either an in-ear, ear muff, or covert headset based on the mission profile or their individual comfort level.
The software nature of the QuietOps design allows the system to accommodate multiple new radios and intercom systems with software changes and perhaps a new cable. Thus, the platform can interface and communicate with an unlimited number of radios and intercom systems. Various features of the product can be turned on or off through our user friendly Windows Vistabased PC Programmer.
The QuietOps has many smart features and capabilities that enhance the warfighter, to name a few: MBITR channel and volume remote control with voice prompt; dual radio wireless push-to-talk [PTT] with Picatinny Rail attachment, whisper mode, etc.
Q: Is the QuietOps combat proven?
A: The QuietOps was not designed in isolation in an academic environment by individuals who have never seen combat. Instead it was designed by warfighters for warfighters as many in our design team have served in special forces. QuietOps has been deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East and other regions by U.S., Israeli and other allied special forces.
Q: What lies ahead in the QuietOps road map?
A: Continued QuietOps enhancements include new modes and peripheral accessories. An example of this continued improvement is a new dual wireless PTT [DWPTT] with finger switch for HAHO/HALO operations. We also believe that in business like in combat, one must forever be changing tactics and innovating in order to win. We will continue to innovate and provide the soldier the best possible tactical headset system. We know lives depend on what we do and we always act accordingly.
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