Bittium signs tactical communications partnership with Finnish Defence Forces

Bittium Tough SDR handheld and vehicular variants. (Bittium)

Bittium Wireless Ltd, a subsidiary of Finnish communications firm Bittium Corporation, has signed a long-term partnership agreement with the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) to support the purchase and maintenance of its tactical communication and command-and-control (C2) systems that are in use with the FDF.

The agreement, to run from 2025 to 2036, is intended to ensure availability, security of supply, and ongoing integration of Bittium's systems for the FDF, the company said in a press release on 25 November.

The partnership agreement establishes a framework for purchasing Bittium's products, software, and services, with purchase orders for products and services and acquisitions planned together with the FDF for each year, Bittium said.

The FDF said the monetary value of the partnership agreement depends on the requirements and funding of FDF projects and on the agreed maintenance and development services for each year.

Johan Westermarck, CEO of Bittium Corporation, said that the partnership will “create mechanisms for joint planning for both normal conditions and states of emergency. Those mechanisms allow Bittium to plan and supply products, service, repair, maintenance, and development related activities for the Finnish Defence Forces in the long term”.

The partnership agreement would replace the purchase agreement and its optional additional purchases of Tough SDR (software defined radio) handheld and vehicular radios that was signed by Bittium and the FDF in December 2018, the company said.

The company said that it “will provide support, including training, for its customers over the life cycle of the products and systems, starting from the field-testing phase”.

Further analysis and assessment onlineFinnish forces contract Bittium for new radiosFinishing touches: Finnish Army integrates into NATOBittium Tough SDR HandheldBittium Tough SDR Vehicular radioBittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN)