VINSON is a family of voice encryption devices used by U.S. and allied military and law enforcement, based on the NSA's classified Suite A

SAVILLE SAVILLE is a classified NSA Type 1 encryption algorithm, developed in the late 1960s, jointly by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in the UK and the National Security Agency (NSA) in the US. It is used broadly, often for voice e ...

encryption algorithm In cryptography, encryption is the process of encoding information. This process converts the original representation of the information, known as plaintext, into an alternative form known as ciphertext. Ideally, only authorized parties can deci ...

and 16 kbit/s

CVSD Continuously variable slope delta modulation (CVSD or CVSDM) is a voice coding method. It is a delta modulation with variable step size (i.e., special case of adaptive delta modulation), first proposed by Greefkes and Riemens in 1970. CVSD encode ...

audio compression. It replaces the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

-era NESTOR (KY-8/KY-28, 28/KY-38, 38) family. These devices provide tactical

secure voice Secure voice (alternatively secure speech or ciphony) is a term in cryptography for the encryption of voice communication over a range of communication types such as radio, telephone or IP. History The implementation of voice encryption dat ...

on UHF and VHF

line of sight The line of sight, also known as visual axis or sightline (also sight line), is an imaginary line between a viewer/observer/ spectator's eye(s) and a subject of interest, or their relative direction. The subject may be any definable object taken ...

(LOS), UHF SATCOM

communication Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inqui ...

and tactical phone systems. These terminals are unclassified

Controlled Cryptographic Item Controlled Cryptographic Item (CCI) is a U.S. National Security Agency term for secure telecommunications or information handling equipment, associated cryptographic component or other hardware item which performs a critical communications securit ...

s (CCI) when unkeyed and classified to the keymat of the key when going secure. VINSON devices include: * KY-57 *

KY-58 The VINSON KY-58 is a secure voice module primarily used to encrypt radio communication to and from military aircraft and other tactical vehicles. It is employed by U.S. Military Joint Services, NATO and some law enforcement agencies. It is des ...

KY-68 TSEC/KY-68 DSVT, commonly known as Digital Subscriber Voice Terminal, is a US military ruggedized, full- or half-duplex tactical telephone system with a built-in encryption/ decryption module for secure Secure may refer to: * Security, being ...

* KY-99a (MINTERM) * KY-100 (AIRTERM) * KYV-2 *

FASCINATOR A fascinator is a formal headpiece, a style of millinery. Since the 1990s, the term has referred to a type of formal headwear worn as an alternative to the hat; it is usually a large decorative design attached to a band or clip. In contrast t ...

VINSON is embedded into many modern military radios, such as

SINCGARS Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) is a Combat-net radio (CNR) used by U.S. and allied military forces. The CNR network is designed around three systems: SINCGARS, the high frequency (HF) radio, and the SC tactical sate ...

. Many multi-algorithm COMSEC modules are also backwards-compatible with VINSON.

See also