German Armed Forces Order Deployable Mission-Critical Communication Networks from Motorola Solutions

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Digitization is one of the highest priorities for the German Armed Forces. It will help to increase efficiency of operations and safety for soldiers and civilian personnel. Secure and reliable voice communications as well as access to data are central drivers for efficiency and responsiveness on any successful mission. 

Cross-agency communication is also a prerequisite for successful cooperation between different teams, particularly in the event of a crisis or disaster. As part of the digitization of land-based operations and to ensure fast communication in various areas in the field, the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) are procuring deployable communication networks, which are available in two versions, mobile and stationary. The modernization marks an important milestone within the Bundeswehr's military’s digitization strategy.

Motorola Solutions announced that the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr, BAAINBw) awarded the company as main contractor to design and build a deployable, digital communications network within the next four years. The project includes the delivery of up to 120 radio systems. The systems are implemented in two versions - one version for a large number of users and a wider reach integrated in 20-foot ISO containers (40 systems), the other system version will be installed in operating, transport and storage containers (80 systems) providing greater flexibility, operational readiness and higher mobility.

Mission-critical communication remains essential to the success of the German Armed Forces’ diverse operations. The forces face challenges like handling complex situations in remote and dangerous environments and the need to analyze large amounts of data. This is especially important during crisis situations to protect the safety of soldiers and the public.

The new deployable mission-critical networks combine a TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) solution with an LTE solution for the transmission of data. The contract includes the delivery of 12,500 handheld and 4,000 mobile and fixed radios. The relocatable network solutions are interoperable with the communication networks of the German Public Safety Organizations (BOS), NATO and the EU. This enables successful collaboration during crisis situations or disaster relief where interagency communication is a prerequisite for success. 

“Germany remains a priority market for Motorola Solutions where we have supported public safety for over 50 years”, said Mark Schmidl, senior vice president at Motorola Solutions. “We look forward to providing the German Armed Forces with future leading communication networks to drive the digitization of the force and support them in their mission.”