NEW TECHNOLOGY: Finland's Bittium Redefines Tactical Communications With Fully Digital Battlefield Network.

During DSEI 2025, a defense exhibition held in London, UK, Finnish defense communications specialist Bittium unveiled the full operational capability of its next-generation tactical communication systems, offering NATO and allied forces a battlefield-ready solution for digitalized, multi-domain operations. Designed to meet the demands of real-time situational awareness, sensor-to-shooter integration, and resilient command and control (C2), Bittium’s modular suite, anchored by its software-defined radios and Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN), delivers seamless high-data-rate connectivity across the modern combat environment. The company’s fully IP-based architecture now forms the digital backbone of Finland’s armed forces and is gaining interest among NATO partners seeking sovereign, interoperable alternatives to legacy systems.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Finland’s Bittium showcases its next-generation tactical communication systems for military forces and modern warfare at DSEI 2025 in London, UK. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

As armed forces transition toward data-driven warfare, the traditional limitations of narrowband, voice-centric radio networks have become strategic liabilities. Bittium’s solution, developed entirely in Finland, enables mobile units to form robust, decentralized, and broadband IP networks that allow voice, video, and data to flow freely across the battlefield. This supports distributed operations, enhances tempo, and enables real-time coordination across land, sea, air, and cyber domains.

At the heart of the architecture is Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN), a software-defined, mobile IP backbone that transforms battalion-level formations into fully networked combat units. Designed to function in environments with no fixed infrastructure, TAC WIN creates high-data-rate, wireless MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Networks) that are self-forming, self-healing, and highly resistant to jamming and disruption. This supports wideband communications for C2 nodes, ISR platforms, and shooter units with no dependency on centralized infrastructure, which is critical for operations in contested or degraded electromagnetic environments.

Compared to conventional tactical data links, TAC WIN allows commanders to deploy broadband battlefield networks that support mission-critical applications such as situational awareness feeds, battlefield management systems, live drone video, and logistics tracking without facing the bandwidth bottlenecks or frequency limitations of older systems. With frequency agility across multiple bands and compatibility with various network topologies, TAC WIN delivers unprecedented flexibility and operational effectiveness.

For the mounted force, Bittium provides the Tough SDR Vehicular, a two-channel, software-defined radio system purpose-built for integration into tracked and wheeled vehicles, naval platforms, and weapons systems. Operating over a 30 to 2500 MHz frequency range without gaps, the radio supports simultaneous use of multiple waveforms, including NATO-standard ESSOR HDR, legacy narrowband systems, and national proprietary protocols. This allows the vehicle to function as both a mobile command node and a relay platform, extending the network and supporting multi-echelon operations.

The vehicular radio enables real-time sharing of operational data, including unit location, video, imagery, voice communications, and sensor telemetry, throughout the chain of command. This ensures that battlefield awareness is synchronized across all levels, empowering faster decision-making and coordinated action. The system also supports large-scale deployments, with routing and network configurations that can accommodate thousands of active nodes, making it ideal for high-tempo, brigade-level operations.

For the dismounted warfighter, the Bittium Tough SDR Handheld provides the same level of connectivity and adaptability in a compact, soldier-wearable form. Optimized for squad and platoon leaders, the radio brings broadband voice, video, and data directly to mobile troops operating at the tactical edge. Like its vehicular counterpart, it supports the full 30 to 2500 MHz spectrum, with real-time waveform switching that selects the optimal signal for each mission profile and terrain condition.

Critically, the handheld SDR supports the simultaneous use of narrowband and wideband waveforms, enhancing survivability and enabling uninterrupted communication even in cluttered or electronically hostile environments. By integrating national COMSEC and TRANSEC protocols, Bittium ensures that sensitive military traffic remains protected without sacrificing interoperability. The ability to port national waveforms alongside NATO HDR standards enables flexible coalition participation while preserving sovereignty over communications security.

Beyond radios and IP backbones, Bittium has also engineered versatile command post and edge networking solutions. The Bittium Tough Comnode serves as a ruggedized communications hub, capable of functioning as a SIP phone, router, SHDSL modem, and wireless access point. It bridges traditional analog Combat Net Radios (CNR) with modern IP networks using Radio over IP (RoIP), ensuring legacy systems can operate within future tactical architectures without interruption.

Tough Comnode is frequently deployed with Bittium Tough VoIP Service, a decentralized voice communication platform designed to thrive in mobile, infrastructure-light environments. Unlike traditional VoIP networks that rely on a central server, Bittium’s solution is distributed: every TAC WIN router, SDR radio, or Comnode can independently host the core SIP service. This allows voice communications to continue even if the network splits, loses links, or operates in isolated network islands.

The system is engineered to automatically reconstitute core voice services when previously disconnected network nodes rejoin, offering seamless re-synchronization without human intervention. The approach is particularly well suited for dispersed operations such as special forces missions, Arctic patrols, or rapidly advancing mechanized units where communications must adapt to shifting terrain and connectivity gaps.

Taken together, Bittium’s full ecosystem offers a scalable, sovereign, and secure tactical communications suite that meets the needs of 21st-century warfare. Designed to support multi-domain operations, coalition interoperability, and spectrum dominance, the Finnish-made systems offer NATO militaries a modular pathway to replace outdated voice-only radios with a future-proof battlefield network backbone.

While the global tactical radio market remains dominated by U.S. and Israeli manufacturers, Bittium’s emergence reflects a growing demand in Europe for non-U.S., software-defined, and sovereign-controlled communication systems that deliver performance without dependence. Its integration of high-bandwidth mobile IP networks, flexible SDR radios, and resilient decentralized services positions Bittium as a strategic alternative for nations seeking communications superiority in both peacetime and high-intensity conflict.

As the digital battlefield becomes increasingly data-driven, contested, and decentralized, the demand for resilient, high-capacity, and interoperable tactical communication systems is no longer optional. It is operationally decisive. Bittium has responded to this challenge not with incremental improvements, but with a fully integrated solution that redefines how military forces communicate, command, and coordinate. With software-defined radios, distributed network services, and sovereign-controlled encryption, Bittium offers more than just communications equipment. It provides the connective tissue for modern warfare. For NATO and partner nations seeking to future-proof their tactical networks while maintaining national control and alliance compatibility, Bittium delivers a battle-tested and digitally native answer to tomorrow's operational challenges.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the gl