Bittium seeks to use AI to expand its offer

Bittium's Tough software defined radio Unmanned (right), next to its Tough SDR Handheld with which it shares the same performance. (Giles Ebbutt)

Finnish defence communications firm Bittium has detailed developments that it hopes will improve the capability of its tactical level communications equipment, and its integration with wider strategic networks.

Bittium and NestAI have announced a partnership to bring artificial intelligence (AI) to tactical communications, with the company's NestOS software powering AI capabilities in two Bittium products; the Bittium Tough software defined radio (SDR) and its Fusor software router. In the first phase of the collaboration AI capabilities will be integrated into the two products, intended to improve performance and situational awareness.

NestOS is an open and modular AI platform designed to add adaptive decision-making to Bittium's products starting with cognitive routing for Fusor, which connects tactical networks with wider communications infrastructure. Integrating NestOS is intended to allow Fusor to make better routing decisions automatically, based on network availability, capacity, and operational policies.

A second project is designed to turn Bittium's tactical radios into distributed sensor networks. It will use NestOS edge computing to turn radio microphones into acoustic sensors, contributing to the real-time tactical picture. Bittium CEO Petri Toljamo told Janes at the Eurosatory 2026 exhibition in Paris in June that, “I don't expect that to have a range in kilometres, but if we start with the microphones which are currently implemented, in due course these will improve”.