Even though the announcement mentions the Finnish Defence Forces, no purchases have been agreed upon yet. It merely demonstrated the possibility of a joint KNL & Bittium product operating over Telia’s 5G network, which can then be integrated into Bittium’s terminals that the Defence Forces already possess.
Considering drones, this is a good thing, as they can be used directly over a wider area via the 5G network, though interference can still occur regardless. On the other hand, it also means there’s no need to use radios and reveal operations if one can appear as a single operator over the 5G network instead of a large target.
Here are Juha’s comments on how Bittium and Telia have implemented a hybrid network for the Finnish Defence Forces, which extends its battle-hardened data transmission to a 5G network.
The core of the solution is Bittium’s recently announced FUSOR software router, which enables the seamless extension of the tactical network to the 5G network using virtual platforms. In our opinion, this development step is logical after the previous release, and we consider the news a positive technological milestone that further strengthens Bittium’s offering. Bittium and Telia will continue to test and validate the hybrid network in operational conditions, so the news has no immediate impact on our forecasts.
Here is an AI-generated Finnish summary of the linked news article.
Billion-Euro Catastrophe of the German Armed Forces’ Digital Field Radio
The modernization project for field communications in the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) has run into a serious crisis. Approximately two billion euros have already been spent, but the digital field radio system is not working.
Background: For years, the Bundeswehr has aimed to transition to modern digital radio communication. It is now revealed that, according to a confidential Bundestag letter from the Ministry of Defence, even the basic version of the system has not received operational approval for simple training activities – despite costs already reaching approximately 1.75 billion euros, plus an additional 299 million euros for related measures.
The “D-LBO” project (Digitalisierung Landbasierte Operationen - Digitization of Land-Based Operations) aims to digitally network soldiers, vehicles, and command posts. According to internal documents, key functions still do not work reliably: the integration of Leopard 2 main battle tanks has failed, radio messages have not been transmitted at all or have been too quiet, ranges have fallen significantly short of requirements, and simultaneous use of data and voice radio has only been possible to a limited extent.
The original goal of digitizing an entire ground forces division by the end of 2027 is now uncertain. The Bundeswehr still largely uses outdated, unencrypted radio technology that is easily eavesdropped on by the enemy. In particular, the new “Lithuania Brigade” urgently needs encrypted command radio – currently, it would not be able to communicate securely in a combat situation.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann of the FDP criticized that “Sondervermögen” (special fund) money is being “thrown out the window without functional planning and oversight,” asking, “Where is the Minister of Defence exactly?”
Based on the news, nothing new under the sun in this project. Not easy for Rohde & Schwarz.
