Belfast cybersecurity specialist Titan IC Systems has announced plans to open its first facility in the United States.

The announcement came as it launched a new product in San Francisco which it hopes will "transform" the cyber security industry.

The Queen’s University spinout – recently named by the UK government as one of the country’s 12 “most exciting” technology businesses – said the launch of its Hyperion product represents the “next generation technology for high rate, high volume content inspection and data analytics”.

Godfrey Gaston, chief executive of the company, whose headquarters in Titanic Quarter overlook the dry dock where the RMS Titanic departed the city, claimed its latest technology had the speed and capacity to project major networks from attack by viruses.

Titan IC has also claimed that the new product could protect the complete broadband network in Belfast.

Mr Gaston added: “This is an immensely significant launch for us of a product we believe has enormous potential to transform the cybersecurity industry worldwide by providing greater security than currently exists for high volume data networks.”

The company has also appointed a new American vice-president to its team. Marc Miller was formerly a senior executive with the Californian-based privately held fabless semiconductor company, Tabula.

Last year Titan IC Systems invested £1.4 million to commercialise its technology and create 18 additional software and hardware jobs in Belfast.

Mr Gaston said its decision to establish a San Francisco office and the launch of its latest product was the next important step for the company.

“Hyperion carries forward the knowledge and expertise of our highly experienced team of researchers assisted by cybersecurity experts within Queen’s University Befast,” he said.