General Dynamics Mission Systems-UK (GDMS-UK) displayed its Hawk concept demonstrator proposed for the British army’s hotspot requirement. As Dale Stolzenberg, GDLS-UK External Affairs Manager, explained to Army Recognition, the Hawk is based on the British Army’s Foxhound armored troop carrier.

The Hawk hotspot demonstrator of General Dynamics Mission Systems-UK (Picture source: Army Recognition)

To make it short, the Hawk serves as a highly mobile communications hotspot that can provide tactical services across long distances, and provide a backbone network to connect tactical forces with their command-and-control headquarters. It can also provide tactical-level connectivity with NATO allies.

This capability removes the need for communication personnel to carry additional systems, and enables the UK’s Bowman system to communicate directly with the Link 16 system used by NATO aircraft. The soldiers located near the vehicle can operate encrypted mobile phones using the General Dynamics network and specialised sim cards, and the LTE network ensures that communications can be maintained in environments that cause troubles to the use of long-range radios.