A Herefordshire communications company has received a highly-prized Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the innovation category.

The Kingstone-based firm won the award for their life-saving Slingshot system, used by the military and emergency and disaster-relief agencies around the world.

Spectra specialise in secure communications.

Slingshot provides the ability to reliably communicate in remote and harsh environments without relying on existing or deploying new infrastructure.

It also enables communications between coalition forces and agencies using different radio systems, without swapping equipment or new training.

Slingshot is based on using the unused capability of the Inmarsat I4 satellite, and was developed and approved for use by the British military.

It can be used in aircraft, vehicles, on maritime platforms and by dismounted personnel.

The firm have marketed it globally and say it has undoubtedly contributed to the saving of lives.

With strong global sales, Spectra Group opened a U.S. office in October 2018 and continue to expand exports.

CEO Simon Davies, a former soldier in the Royal Corp of Signals, said: “Working on the design, and building a business, supplying a product that has the ability to revolutionise communications in theatres of operation, not only for soldiers but emergency services and in disaster areas, is very satisfying."