The Finnish Defence Forces will procure more Finnish field radios from Bittium Wireless Oy Ltd. The equipment will mainly involve handheld and vehicular radios as well as their related additional equipment. The new software-defined field radios will gradually replace the analogous field radios. Part of the software-defined radio (SDR) capability will be created through the programmable software technology and waveforms applied to be developed throughout the equipment’s life cycle.
The procurement is a continuation of the procurement contract made in 2018 redeeming its provision for additional procurement. The total value of the procurement, including VAT, is c. EUR 5,3 million with a domestic employment effect of c. 10 person-years. The supplying of the new software-defined radio (SDR) will start during the remainder of 2022.
The procurement will support continuing the national development of SDR technology and fitting the radios as part of the Army M18 C5 system and of the Finnish Defence Forces’ radio equipment family. The procurement also ensures the field radio development progress, utilisability and adaptation in all services and in establishments subordinated to the Defence Command, Inspector of Signals, Colonel Antti Tunkkari from the Army Command says.
The digitalization of battlefield and a wide variety of operations with modern command and control (C2) applications, sensors and real time situation awareness have set an increasing need for high-data-rate and mobile networks in tactical use. Best connectivity and throughput can be achieved with Bittium’s Software Defined Radios and systems. The benefits include e.g. the flexibility to operate in different frequency bands and network structures, which provides cost effectiveness, ease of use and efficiency compared to existing tactical networks.
