British Army announces boost to battlefield connectivity.

British soldiers on the battlefield will benefit from enhanced connectivity, following the award of an £89 million five-year contract that has been awarded to BAE Systems to design and manufacture a deployable tactical Wide Area Network (WAN) known as ‘Trinity’. The network will provide troops with a highly secure and state-of-the-art battlefield internet capability.
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Trinity, the next-generation network, will ensure land-based UK military personnel can interact faster with allies, operating as a single nation or as part of an international coalition, across different battlefield domains (Picture source: BAE Systems)

Working with industry partners, BAE Systems will combine its defence communications systems expertise and experience to develop, deliver and deploy the world-leading network capability to the UK Armed Forces.

Trinity’s resilience is based on its composition. It is made up of a series of nodes, each able to add, access and move data in a secure network. If some nodes are damaged in warfare, the rest automatically re-route to maintain optimum network speed and flow of information, making it highly effective. Trinity will replace the existing Falcon operational communications network, due to finish in 2026.

The next-generation network will ensure land-based UK military personnel can interact faster with allies, operating as a single nation or as part of an international coalition, across different battlefield domains. Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said: “In this continually evolving, multi-domain environment it is vital that our personnel have access to world-leading communications capabilities while on operations. We remain committed to working closely with the best of British industry as they support our endeavour to better connect with our allies and their assets in theatre.”

The £89 million will be dedicated to the research and development phase of the programme, with Trinity due to be operationally ready from July 2025.

Colonel John Dagless, Army Programmes lead, said: “We are very pleased to announce the placement of the contract for the Trinity Design and Systems Integration Delivery (DSID) partner with BAE Systems. Trinity will provide a deployable Wide Area Network (WAN) with significantly increased bandwidth and information mobility.”

There will be the option to extend the contract to nine years, to cover the development throughout its life and ensure the technical design is deployable to suit portable and military vehicles.

David Armstrong, Group Managing Director at BAE Systems’ Digital Intelligence business, said: “In an increasingly complex and fast-paced threat landscape, Trinity will empower the UK Armed Forces with a greater and more efficient view of what is happening, enabling them to make swift, informed decisions when and where it matters most. By providing this advantage to front-line decision makers, Trinity reinforces our commitment to equipping the UK Armed Forces with the right tools to stay ahead in the ever-evolving battlespace."

Trinity is one part of the Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information Systems programme, which is working to provide the next generation of tactical military communications in the land environment.

The modern battlefield is an extremely complex environment where increasingly large amounts of information must flow without interruption, whilst being protected from exploitation or disruption by a technically advanced enemy. The British Army has the most powerful information and communication systems available. Commanders must be able to always talk to their units, whether by voice or data, satellite link or landline. The Royal Signals are responsible for providing all the Army’s tactical satellite ground terminals, ensuring strategic and operational satellite communications for all land-based Headquarters. The Royal Signals have deployed on every operation the Army has been involved in. Whether fighting to set up complex information and radio networks under fire, enabling communications for humanitarian missions or providing 4G networks for multinational forces, the Royal Signals tackle a wide range of operations using their diverse skill set in times of peace and conflict.

Defense News August 2023