French Forces Embrace Revolutionary Thales Hybrid Innovations for Vehicle Advancement
- The French defense acquisition authority (DGA) has awarded Thales a contract to provide hybrid networking solutions for French Army vehicles, a revolutionary option that can be implemented without necessitating modifications to the designs of the platforms.
- Installed on military vehicles like the Griffon, VBCI, and Serval, these kits enable access to commercial communication services (OneWeb and 5G), effortlessly merging them with extensive networking capabilities, and linking communication systems across all tiers from combined/joint forces command to infantry combat vehicles.
- With progress in cooperative combat driving sparking an escalating demand for connectivity, hybrid solutions will enhance existing robust communication systems (SYRACUSE IV military satellite communications, CONTACT radios, HF radios) to provide elevated data rates, extended range capacities, and improved resilience.
“Thales will be aiding the French Army in its crucial shift to hybrid communication networks. This latest phase of the ASTRIDE 3 programme will combine technological advancements with a deep understanding of operational requirements to deliver the hyperconnectivity essential for coordinated combat in high-intensity conflict scenarios,” declared Alexandre Bottero, Vice President, Networks and Infrastructure Systems at Thales.
This hybrid networking technology has been formulated using an agile, iterative approach in partnership with the DGA and operational personnel to bolster the communication capabilities of French Army vehicles. Considering the modern advancements in collaborative warfare, the armed forces’ ability to deploy operational networks of sensors and effectors necessitates enhanced capabilities concerning massification, usability, and the resilience of military communication frameworks. With this cutting-edge hybrid solution, commercial networks will amplify existing hardened communication systems, including LOS radios designed for the ASTRIDE programme, the secure, high-data-rate, jam-resistant military satellite communication services provided by the SYRACUSE satellites, the state-of-the-art software-defined radios developed under the CONTACT initiative, and the MELCHIOR series of HF radios.
The hybrid networking solution for OneWeb satcom and 5G services is designed as a non-intrusive kit, removing the need for design alterations to the vehicle. It offers substantial enhancements in connectivity to strengthen operational capabilities in the theater of operations by enabling more extensive data transfer and closer multi-domain collaboration. The hybrid networking kit features a combination of high performance and user-friendliness, and its modular design is central to a comprehensive approach involving communication systems at all levels, from combined/joint forces command to infantry combat vehicles.
