Nokia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to advance tactical communications technologies for military customers.
The company said the agreement will merge its portfolio of 4G, 5G and private wireless solutions with Kongsberg’s expertise in defense communications to deliver secure, resilient and interoperable battlefield networks. Initial efforts will focus on deployable 5G systems, with research extending to unmanned systems integration, advanced sensors and European Defense Fund programs.
According to Kjetil R. Myhra, executive vice president of defense systems at Kongsberg, the collaboration will accelerate commercial telecom solutions in defense. “Together, we’ll explore how 5G and 6G can support the developing connectivity requirements in tactical systems, from secure voice and real-time data to unmanned systems and advanced sensors,” he said.
Giuseppe Targia, head of Nokia’s space and defense business, noted that the company designs its products for commercial and military customers.
“This collaboration with Kongsberg underscores our commitment to providing advanced, secure and fast 5G mobile networks, and integrating Nokia’s Banshee radio portfolio to strengthen operations capabilities for a range of tactical scenarios,” he added.
The announcement comes shortly after Nokia opened a 55,000-square-meter European facility focused on developing 5G, 6G and AI-driven network innovations, including secure systems for civilian and defense use.