The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems an 89-million pound ($113 million) five-year contract to design and manufacture a secure battlefield communication network for the British armed forces.
The tactical Wide Area Network, known as Trinity, will provide secure connectivity to front-line soldiers in contested environments, sustaining battlefield awareness and intelligence sharing.
Trinity will replace the existing Falcon network, due to be retired in 2026.
Secure Communication Network
The deployable battlefield internet capability will eliminate the soldiers’ reliance on satellite communications and fixed infrastructure, which are vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Trinity’s resilience comes from an in-built series of nodes that “add, access and move data in a secure network,” the defense ministry explained in a statement.
“If a number of nodes are damaged in warfare, the rest automatically reroute to maintain optimum network speed and flow of information, making it highly effective.”
To Link Multi-Domain Systems
The network will link systems from different domains, such as reconnaissance drones, combat vehicles, fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and military commands, enhancing battlefield connectivity.
“In an increasingly complex and fast-paced threat landscape, Trinity will empower the UK Armed Forces with a better view of what is happening, enabling them to make swift, informed decisions when and where it matters most,” BAE Systems’ group managing director David Armstrong said.