Army creates 4G/5G mobile network to ensure disaster communications

“IT IS also another step in the training of the Army for Emergency Military Support ", said General Eduardo Mendes Ferrão, highlighting the importance of having their own solutions and quickly projectable when civil infrastructure is unavailable.

The new capacity, developed in partnership with MEO and financed through the Military Programming Act, was demonstrated during a visit by CEME to ARTEX26/OPEX26, in the Military Camp of Santa Margarida, in Constância, Santarém district.

According to Mendes Ferrão, “recent situations, such as blackout and storm Kristin, have demonstrated the importance” of there being solutions to ensure communications, command and coordination when civil networks are degraded or no longer functioning.

The Mobile Tactical Network 4G/5G can operate autonomously with respect to commercial mobile networks, providing local voice, data, video and geolocation services, and using satellite communications when it is necessary to connect abroad.

This link allows the tactical mobile network to be interconnected with other systems, including the public telephone network, according to information provided by the Army to Lusa.

The solution has “ManPack” configurations, oriented towards rapid projection and mobility on the ground, and a version installed in trailer, equipped with its own generator and with greater energy capacity and autonomy.

The Army has not yet quantified the time required to install and put the system into operation, the coverage area or the number of users that may be connected simultaneously.

The capacity was acquired and demonstrated, with the official presentation scheduled for October 14, also in the Military Camp of Santa Margarida.

The Army admits to replicate technology in the future and progressively increase the covered area, evolving to a concept of “network bubbles”, through the interconnection of different systems.

Targeted in particular for Emergency Military Support, the capacity can ensure communications between command structures and teams deployed on the ground and support coordination with entities involved in responding to an emergency.

“ We need to learn from these experiences and anticipate future needs,” said Mendes Ferrão, adding that the objective is for the Army to be “better prepared to support authorities, strengthen response in emergency situations” and ensure faster action among the populations.

The CEME also stressed that the project translates an investment option “in Portuguese engineering” and in the development of systems in Portugal, and the solution was designed and developed in the country by Portuguese engineers, based on the needs identified by the Army.

“ The knowledge of MEO allowed the Army to take the first steps in this type of communications ", also indicated the branch.

ARTEX26 is linked to the European operational experimentation campaign HEDI OPEX26-1, promoted under the European Defence Agency, which uses the Santa Margarida Military Field to test technologies under realistic operational conditions.