HF BLOS Network Overcomes Difficult Terrain Constraints
Rohde & Schwarz is to supply liquid-cooled HF high-power transmitters to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (Forsvarsmateriell), to enable reliable and secure beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications in difficult terrain.
Demand in Norway for reliable, secure HF communications is high – HF essential in the country’s fjords and mountainous terrain. Satellite communications are not a reliable alternative, since the country is so far north. The agency has therefore awarded Rohde & Schwarz Norge AS a contract to supply new HF radio equipment for some 20 locations nationwide, including the new generation of liquid-cooled SK4110 HF high-power transmitters.
The contract forms part of the Kampnær IKT til Forsvaret Mime programme, for which Forsvarsmateriell has already previously acquired Rohde & Schwarz HF radio receivers. The Royal Norwegian Navy mainly uses this BLOS communications equipment for command and control. The network is operated by the Norwegian Cyber Defence Force (Cyberforsvaret).
“The Norwegian Armed Forces communications infrastructure is currently being renewed as part of the Mime programme,” explained Cathrine Devold, Program Director, Mime/MAST at Forsvarsmateriell. “This contract gives us quick access to modern radios to be deployed as early as 2023.” Jørgen Inge Olsen, a senior engineer with Cyberforsvaret CCR G6, added “The acquisition ensures a uniform and future-oriented radio structure, for modern services and robust, long-range coverage for naval vessels and other units in the entire area of interest”.
The transmitters are extremely reliable, featuring best-in-class availability, low total cost of ownership and high performance, thanks to R&S M3SR Series4100 software-defined radios. They are ready to establish automatic links and handle the IP traffic that will be introduced later in the Mime programme.
“The Norwegian government choosing us as suppliers for HF BLOS communications equipment is significant,” stated Ove Ladegård, CEO of Rohde & Schwarz Norge AS. “The revolutionary R&S SK4110 HF high-power transmitter with 10kW output power and HF wideband capability […] meets advanced long-range BLOS communications requirements with very high data rates and maximum reliability. An innovative cooling concept minimises operating costs and makes the transmitter a future-proof investment. The contract for a new HF structure will ensure a modern, future-oriented and reliable radio communications network that can be integrated into the rest of the communications infrastructure”.
