According to a press release published on December 22, 2020, The Finnish Minister of Defense, Mr. Antti Kaikkonen has authorized Finnish Defence Forces to purchase Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network™ (TAC WIN) system products, used for tactical communications.
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With the Software Defined Radio (SDR) based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN) system battlegroups can create high-data-rate wireless IP networks as a backbone to support command and control (C2) data transmission during military operations. (Picture source Bittium)
The Finnish Ministry of Defence has informed about the authorization today. Bittium and Finnish Defence Forces plan to sign a Framework Agreement of the delivery of Bittium TAC WIN products that covers the years 2021 – 2024, with a total value of approximately EUR 30 million (excl. VAT) at the maximum. According to the Framework Agreement, Finnish Defence Forces would issue separate purchase orders for the Bittium TAC WIN system products each year. The radio units and routers of the software-defined radio system will be in use in all three Service Branches and C5 agency of the Defense Forces.
The Framework Agreement will be a continuation of the several years of cooperation between Finnish Defence Forces and Bittium. It will continue the renewal of the Finnish Defence Forces’ command, control and communications system, where the Software-Defined Radio based Bittium TAC WIN system acts as the backbone for tactical data transfer. The products of the framework agreement are related to several ongoing projects in the Defense Forces, where Bittium TAC WIN provides broadband IP network connections for mobile communication stations and command posts. In the reformed combat doctrine of the Finnish Defence Forces, mobility, leading the troops on the move and effective communications play a key role.
This Framework Agreement is a continuation of the previous Framework Agreement between Bittium and Finnish Defence Forces for the delivery of the Bittium TAC WIN system products. The previous agreement was announced on July 6, 2017 and it covered the years 2018 – 2020. Contractual orders have already been delivered to the Finnish Defense Forces in full.
Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN) is a Software-Defined Radio based wireless broadband network system intended for military and public safety use. With the system MANET (mobile ad hoc network), link and connection networks can be formed into one logical IP network quickly, no matter what the location is. Bittium TAC WIN is compatible with existing fixed and wireless network infrastructures. The core of the system is a tactical router that enables users to freely form both wired and wireless broadband data transfer IP connections. Tactical router enables also connections to different types of terminals and other communication systems connecting them into one communication network. In addition to the router, the system comprises three types of radio heads, and each radio head covers its own frequency band area and can be used for flexible formation of optimized network topologies for different communication needs. All the products of the system are designed for harsh conditions, and thanks to the system's automated functions the implementation of the system can be done quickly. Due to the software-based functionality of the Bittium TAC WIN system, it can be easily updated with additional performance cost-efficiently during the whole lifespan of the system.
