Bittium to supply tactical radio support to Finnish army.

Bittium has received a purchase order from the Finnish Defence Forces for the porting of the European ESSOR (European Secure SOftware-defined Radio) program’s OC1 (Operational Capability 1) phase wideband waveform to the Bittium Tough SDR radios that will be delivered to the Finnish Defence Forces.

The Bittium Tough SDR product family of tactical radios consists of Bittium Tough SDR Handheld, tactical handheld radio for individual soldiers, and Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular, tactical radio for vehicle installations (Picture source: Bittium)

Bittium and the Finnish Defence Forces have signed an agreement on the purchase of the Bittium Tough SDR handheld and vehicular radios in December 2018. The porting of the waveform to the national software-defined radios enables compatibility between radios used in European coalition operations, in accordance with the goals of the ESSOR programme.

The ESSOR OC1 phase has continued the ESSOR programme, started in 2009, with the aim of enhancing the operational capabilities of the ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform (HDR WF) meant for joint operations of different national troops. The Bittium Tough SDR products can flexibly use the most suitable and best-performing waveform, such as the ESSOR HDR Waveform, Bittium TAC WIN Waveform, and Bittium Narrowband Waveform. Using several waveforms, even simultaneously, improves compatibility and enables operations on different levels and missions.

The value of the purchase order is approximately EUR 1.1 million (excl. VAT) and the corresponding work will be delivered by the end of the year 2019. The purchase order also includes options for the years 2020-2021. The total value of the options is approximately EUR 2.5 million (excl. VAT). The purchase order does not affect Bittium's financial outlook for the year 2019 published in the Financial Statement Bulletin 2018 on February 21, 2019.

Bittium Tough SDR product family

The Bittium Tough SDR product family of tactical radios consists of Bittium Tough SDR Handheld, tactical handheld radio for individual soldiers, and Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular, tactical radio for vehicle installations. Bittium Tough SDR products help to produce and share real-time situational awareness (location, image, voice, video, and sensor data) to all levels of the organization. This improves the performance and the effectiveness of the tactical troops, and leading the troops is easier based on the up-to-date situational awareness and more reliable connections. The uniquely wide range of frequency bands in the radios improves combat survivability. Using several waveforms, even simultaneously, improves compatibility and enables operations on different levels and missions. Together with the SDR based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN) system, used for forming a tactical broadband mobile IP backbone network, it is possible to bring broadband data and voice to all mobile troops starting from brigade level and all the way across the battlefield.