4 Questions to Ask Before Investing in Software Defined Radios for Military Communications

As military modernization remains the focus to enable the military to deal with threats, there is a clear emphasis on communication technologies. As such, many military services are moving away from specially designed radio stations, for specific concepts of operations, to more flexible, flexible, software-defined radio stations. In fact, software defined radio (SDR) the global market is is expected to reach $ 39.6 billion by 2027.. However, as software radios continue to evolve, the technology implemented varies from industry to industry. So what should public procurement officials consider before investing in this technical solution?

This is a topic that Modern combat space continues to cover and in an attempt to provide guidance, we gathered insights from the field. Here are four questions that should come first:

What are the capabilities of software radio?

One of the reasons the military is turning to SDRs is the ability to transmit and receive more voice and data over a wider range of radio spectrum – addressing many of the spectral and wireless limitations. Modern SDRs can take a variety of waveforms that a military fighter may need in battle, and can be fast. upgraded with new features when they become available. This ability to transmit new waveforms is one of the critical capabilities of the SDR, which allows it to keep up with changing enemy threats. The ease with which this can be achieved should be one of the key concerns of any prospective SDR client.

When considering options, it is crucial to understand power, performance, waveform integration, and security. In addition, it is important to take into account the trade-offs that can be delivered with specific specifications.

What is the total cost of ownership the software-defined radio solution?

Although it is important to consider the cost of the solution when comparing suppliers, it is important to take a holistic approach to costs. Sometimes the Technically Acceptable Lowest Price (LPTA) does not take into account the hidden costs associated with the property. For example, hardware costs may be the lowest on the market, but in order to keep the hardware in operation, the associated costs are hidden and have a significant impact on overall costs. To avoid this trap, it is important to weigh the product life cycle and ask vendors the right questions to identify any hidden costs associated with the solution.

Does the solution take an open systems architecture approach?

There is no doubt that the open systems architecture approach allows for flexibility, flexibility and modernization. However, not everyone defines open systems in the same way. Some aspects of the solution may be open, while there may be hidden elements of the solution that may lead to a provider lock. Does the solution have open APIs? How does it integrate with other features that are being developed? Does the current crypto solution manifest itself in a hardware or software solution? How often will the hardware need to be updated? These are just a few of the questions that need to be asked to determine if the SDR is really an open system that can be integrated today and in the future.

Download the White Paper

Is the solution integrated into existing and future modernization efforts?

Ministry of Defense Digital modernization strategy is at the heart of how combat capabilities and solutions will connect and integrate into the future combat space. Innovation, optimization, integration and sustainability are the pillars of this framework. To this end, the software-defined network and SDRs that connect to the network must be easy to integrate, optimize and protect in today’s environment and in the modernized environment of the future.

Stay tuned Modern combat space As our editorial team connects with industry experts to address these four issues and offer new insights and resources for each, this series will help our readers better understand how SDRs will evolve and transform. communications on the future battlefield.

Comments are closed.