Digital backbone: bringing new capabilities to the UK defence market

Finland-based Bittium works across a range of products in tactical communications, from software-defined radios (SDRs) and voice over IP solutions to device management and encryption software. A key partner of the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF), it has worked closely with other nations across its 40-year history, including Austria, Croatia and Estonia.

The company is also a founding member of a4ESSOR, a joint venture developing European SDR technology; the ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform has already been adopted by NATO as the STANAG 5651 interoperability standard for tactical communications with radio platforms.

Building on this international history, Bittium is now aiming to strengthen its presence in the UK. The objective is to support the British armed forces in a battlespace defined by rapidly expanding data resources, proliferating sensors and multi-domain operations.

Battlespace data

The UK faces similar challenges and opportunities here as its NATO allies, as demonstrated by the key themes in the recent Strategic Defence Review. This includes the conviction that data “is now one of the biggest driving factors within the defence environment”, Aldridge said.

This is driving changes in battlefield management and command and control (C2), with new demands for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, digitalisation and flexible, agile networks.

To succeed in this challenging landscape, the development of a digital backbone that connects assets across domains and supports secure and adaptable networks will be critical.

“The key is to be mobile, flexible, and scalable,” Aldridge said. “Bittium’s tactical communications systems provide the defence backbone to support battlefield management within this wider network system, whether it’s localised in an operational environment or an extensive, large-scale scenario, with various domains and assets working together.”

Such demands underpin UK modernisation plans, including the ongoing Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information System (LE TacCIS) programme, Aldridge noted. Bittium is assessing potential opportunities to support the UK here, he said, both individually and in partnership with other companies.

“We are keeping abreast of the development of the programme – we are taking every opportunity we can to engage with industry and with end users.”

Innovation experience

Bittium brings a unique perspective to tactical communications, driven by its long partnership with the FDF. Finland’s proximity to Russia means the national military – and its defence industrial base – have long realised the need to develop an adaptive, mobile and expansive communications network, even before the war in Ukraine.

This communications infrastructure is built on tactical wireless and can be combined with wired connections. For example, with an SDR-based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN) backbone and Bittium Tough SDR radios troops can rely on modular and mobile networks that support C6ISTAR with wideband and narrowband data transmission during operations. Crucially, these systems are highly flexible, capable of working across different network structures and frequency bands. “This is ground-breaking for modern battlefields,” said Aldridge.

Importantly, the system is designed to be robust and resilient, adapting to the constraints of the battlefield. Waveforms like TAC WIN and ESSOR provide high data rates and low latency, Aldridge explained, a vital consideration given the “exponential growth in the amount of data that moves around the space”.

These waveforms support jamming detection and anti-jam capability, enabling militaries to hop between frequencies as needed. Aldridge also pointed to the Bittium Tough VoIP Service, a resilient digital voice capability designed to provide a distributed solution in mobile tactical environments.

This is underpinned by a self-healing capacity, built upon a decentralised, holistic approach. This can be pursued through the development of mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs), keeping users continuously connected through automated functions. “That means the network can maintain its integrity, regardless of the attacks that are taking place,” Aldridge noted.

These elements all come together to support seamless communications, ensuring there is no one single point of failure. The ability to readily adapt supports interoperability across NATO and beyond, notably through the Tough SDR radios and ESSOR waveform.

How would this work in practice? Aldridge outlines a scenario of a coastal assault, demanding a mixture of assets from different domains in the battlespace. “We've got a naval to land element. We've got a land-based, ‘secure and sustain’ element. We might have an air element as well, providing air cover, plus unmanned elements.”

This multifaceted, complex battlespace needs a digital backbone to unite the disparate elements and reduce any single point of failure. “It spans all of those domains, connects them and ensures that complete network security is maintained.”

Industrial alliances

Aldridge has long experience in the UK defence market. Before joining Bittium in June 2025, he worked in business development and sales roles across a range of companies within the national market. This followed more than a decade of service in the Royal Navy.

This type of local expertise is crucial, he believes, providing the right depth of understanding from the end-user perspective.

“We are now fully established within the UK. We are on a trajectory. The direction of travel is to cement that position further and do everything that needs to be done to support UK defence and the primes,” he said.

Bittium has already taken important steps to deepen those ties. In 2024 it signed a framework agreement with BAE Systems, through which it will offer its tactical communications products and services to users in the UK and abroad. The agreement – which runs to 2027 – means the two companies can offer the Tough SDR radios, ESSOR waveform and other systems as part of collaborative efforts.

“The Bittium/BAE relationship is extremely powerful,” Aldridge said. “From a Bittium perspective it’s very valuable, both in terms of product and systems development and in expanding our footprint within UK defence.”

Such arrangements are important for both parties, he added, with the companies offering complementary capabilities. Additionally, this will support Bittium as it develops relationships across UK defence and seeks to integrate with the military environment.

“Systems integrators have earned their stripes right within the sector; they have the critical mass, they have the infrastructure and a proven ability to liaise with the end customer or the end user and the defence forces – that's a really powerful thing.”

Sovereignty secured

Collaborative efforts with national prime contractors aim to support a growing defence demand for national sovereignty in an increasingly unpredictable environment. Bittium works to support governments with maintaining sovereign control over tactical communications development.

This approach has been seen in its work in different nations and at a European level. For instance, in July Bittium signed an agreement of intent with Spain’s Indra Group to explore the potential transfer of technology as both companies look to cooperate in developing SDR solutions. Indra is a fellow founding member of a4ESSOR; the agreement will see the two sides work to develop these capabilities in Spain for a European-based proprietary solution.

At a wider level, Aldridge noted that the company is active in other research programmes across Europe. For instance, it was part of the iMUGS (Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System) project under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme.

“We are constantly working in these projects – and with our customers – to move technologies forward and integrate them in our systems. We want to be at the spearhead of innovation,” he explained.

Communication and collaboration

Bittium is looking to the future of tactical communications, assessing the potential for innovations that could significantly enhance operations for the UK and other customers. This could include such techniques as post-quantum cryptography, protecting data in the evolving era of quantum computing.

AI is another rapidly evolving technology with significant implications in tactical communications. There could be benefits in adaptive networks, said Aldridge.

Ultimately, such innovation is occurring against a backdrop of rapidly expanding data resources. For instance, the proliferation of drones and other uncrewed systems – as demonstrated during the war in Ukraine – has only accelerated the “exponential growth in data”, which industry leaders such as Bittium must work to facilitate.

“That data needs to be communicated accurately and securely. It needs to be transmitted and received in a way that is not degraded. And there will be lots of it – it's only going to expand,” he said.

Ultimately, Bittium’s approach to the UK market will be driven by customer requirements, concluded Aldridge.

“We’re communicating with our customer base and we’re collaborating with them,” he said. “And working together, we will conquer any gaps to bring the right capability to bear.”

Bittium will be present at the DSEI exhibition at Excel London, UK from September 9-12, at stand N8-250 (Finnish pavilion). Please get in touch to arrange a meeting with company experts.