en.Wedoany.com Reported - Rohde & Schwarz plans to conduct flight tests for its new multi-domain secure communication network architecture as early as 2027, aiming to deliver key components to customers by the end of this decade.
The German defense electronics company began exploring next-generation combat communication systems several years ago, aiming to provide higher security and throughput while countering increasingly sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities that have made the digital environment highly contested. The company has now refined its approach into a "multi-domain directional communication system."
Andreas Domann, Vice President of Multi-Domain Communications at Rohde & Schwarz, stated that this system can apply electronic warfare concepts such as low probability of intercept and low probability of detection to precisely control who can see or hear communication signals. Through narrow-beam directional communication, it remains largely unaffected even under jamming conditions. The focused beam also offers advantages in communication range.
In air domain applications, the system could allow stealth fighters to communicate without being detected, or network manned platforms with unmanned swarms to share information. Domann noted that the goal is to provide ample bandwidth and a self-healing network. As part of the Franco-German-Spanish "Future Combat Air System" program, partners have committed to building such a combat cloud to connect various platforms.
To support this concept, Rohde & Schwarz has made significant investments in the technology, with extensive use of active electronically scanned antennas being key. Each platform may require multiple antennas for full coverage. Technical challenges include handling personnel joining and leaving the network, verifying legitimacy, and sharing information. The company will also provide communication subsystems to manage the entire network and its links to other communication systems such as Ku, C, L bands, as well as UHF and VHF radios. The company will not integrate the communication architecture into aircraft mission systems to reduce integration burdens.
At the Berlin International Air Show, Rohde & Schwarz launched the "Network Multi-Point Array Communication System" brand. Various devices can be scaled according to the size, weight, and power requirements of different platform types, with all systems operating on the same waveform. The company has validated the technology in a laboratory environment and demonstrated it to the German government. Domann stated that flight demonstrations are planned for 2027, followed by the rollout of actual products, passing through demonstrator and prototype stages. The system can exchange bandwidth based on distance, for example, achieving nearly 1 megabit per second at 200 nautical miles, while throughput may reach 50-60 megabits at approximately 30 nautical miles. The company is also considering applying the technology to space, land, and maritime domains.
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