Beechat has been confirmed as one of the 150 companies selected to join the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) 2026 Challenge Programme. Emerging from a competitive pool of over 3,600 applicants, this selection marks a major milestone in the deployment of our sovereign, infrastructure-independent command-and-control capabilities.
About NATO DIANA
NATO DIANA was established to maintain the Alliance’s technological edge by identifying and accelerating dual-use solutions that solve critical defence and security challenges. As a cornerstone of NATO’s innovation strategy, it connects world-class talent with operational end-users to foster deep-tech resilience. The programme focuses on unifying stakeholders and amplifying resilience across the Alliance, ensuring that promising innovations can be rapidly adopted by the 32 member nations.
Securing the Tactical Edge: Kaonic and Post-Quantum Cryptography
Under the DIANA Challenge Programme, Beechat will accelerate the development of Kaonic, our rugged tactical mesh device designed for ‘zero-trust’ environments. Kaonic utilises the Reticulum mesh protocol to form self-healing networks without reliance on central servers, cellular towers, or satellite uplinks, ensuring connectivity persists in contested and denied spectrums.
Our primary focus within the accelerator will be the integration of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) into the Kaonic stack. Because the Reticulum protocol is fundamentally cryptographic (i.e., using keys for addressing), this upgrade is integral to the routing logic rather than ‘bolted on,’ creating a unified security architecture that is significantly harder to replicate than standard overlay encryption. We will implement National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) approved algorithms, specifically Dilithium for digital signatures and Kyber for key encapsulation. This critical upgrade ensures that the Alliance’s tactical communications remain secure against future quantum decryption threats, delivering a future-proof solution for dismounted teams and autonomous systems.
Accelerating Deployment through the DIANA Ecosystem
Over the next six months, Beechat will leverage the DIANA ecosystem to fast-track the maturation of this capability. A key advantage of the programme is access to a transatlantic network of more than 200 specialised test centres. These facilities will allow us to validate our post-quantum algorithms and mesh resilience in realistic, mission-relevant environments.
Through this collaboration, we will engage directly with Allied end-users and buyers to refine our solution for operational needs. The programme provides a structured pathway to deepen our interoperability with NATO standards, ensuring that Kaonic is ready for widespread adoption across the Alliance.