Bittium Tough SDR handheld and vehicular radios will replace the Finnish Defence Forces’ existing stock of analogue tactical radios with modern software defined radios intended for broadband tactical communications. The radios will also offer significantly better performance for the Finnish Defence Forces compared to the earlier generation digital tactical radios. The Tough SDR radios are compatible with the software defined radio based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN) system already used by the Finnish Defence Forces. Part of the performance of the software defined radios is created with the software used in the radios. Thus, software development enables performance enhancements for the radios throughout their whole life cycle.
Bittium issued a stock exchange release on December 12, 2018, on the purchase agreement signed by the Finnish Defence Forces and Bittium. The purchase agreement includes terms for additional purchases, according to which, the Finnish Defence Forces have an option to purchase additional tactical radios and their related accessories, training, and system management for the use of the Army, Air Force, and Navy based on the prices agreed in the purchase agreement. If the optional additional purchase amounts would materialize in full, the total value of the purchases would be approximately EUR 207 million (excl. VAT) (EUR 257 million, incl. VAT) at the maximum.
Bittium Tough SDR product family
Bittium Tough SDR product family of tactical radios consists of Bittium Tough SDR Handheld , tactical handheld radio for individual soldiers, and Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular , tactical radio for vehicle installations. The Tough SDR radios help to produce and share real time situational awareness to all levels of the organization. This improves the performance and the effectiveness of the tactical troops, and leading the troops is easier based on the up-to-date situational awareness and more reliable connections. The uniquely wide range of frequency bands in the radios improves combat survivability. Using several waveforms, even simultaneously, improves compatibility and enables operations on different levels and missions. Together with the software defined Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Networkâ„¢ (TAC WIN) system, used for forming a tactical broadband mobile IP backbone network, it is possible to bring broadband data and voice to all mobile troops starting from brigade level and all the way across the battlefield to an individual soldier.