The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded BAE Systems a £89m contract to enhance front-line connectivity for military personnel. This contract aims to improve the communication links between various military assets such as reconnaissance drones, combat vehicles, fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and military commands.
In today’s complex battles, which span across land, sea, air, space, cyber, and electronic warfare, each domain is highly contested. Therefore, it is crucial for militaries to maintain control over their communications in these challenging environments.
BAE Systems will lead a consortium of trusted partners, including Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), PA Consulting, and L3 Harris, to design and manufacture a deployable tactical Wide Area Network (WAN) known as ‘Trinity’. This secure and state-of-the-art battlefield internet capability will provide UK forces with sustainable battlefield awareness and intelligence sharing, even in the face of adversarial attacks.
David Armstrong, the 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 better view of what is happening, enabling them to make swift, informed decisions when and where it matters most.”
This contract will directly support 60 jobs in Dorset and contribute to the development of UK skills at BAE Systems and its partners. BAE Systems will leverage its expertise in defence communications to deliver world-leading network capabilities by utilizing various communications infrastructure, reducing reliance on satellites or fixed infrastructure that are vulnerable to attacks.
Trinity’s resilience is a result of its composition, consisting of multiple nodes that can add, access, and move data within a secure network. In the event of node damage during warfare, the remaining nodes will automatically re-route to maintain the optimal speed and flow of information, making Trinity highly effective.
Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey MP, emphasized the importance of world-leading communications capabilities for personnel operating in this continually evolving, multi-domain environment. He stated, “We remain committed to working closely with the best of British industry as they support our endeavor to better connect with our allies and their assets in theater.”
Although the Falcon operational communications network currently serves the Army and RAF, it is scheduled to be retired in 2026. Trinity will not replace the local area subsystem or telephony but will complement them. BAE Systems is the incumbent provider for Falcon.
The £89m contract will primarily fund the research and development phase of the program, with Trinity expected to be delivered by December 2025. There is also an option to extend the contract for a total of nine years to ensure the ongoing development and evolution of the technical design to meet the evolving requirements of the UK Armed Forces.
