Nokia and LMT Advance Tactical 5G for Baltic Defence

Nokia and Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT) have announced a new strategic agreement designed to integrate Nokia’s 5G radio technology with LMT’s defence solutions. The partnership aims to establish a secure tactical communications system, specifically tailored for military operations in the Baltic region.

By combining networking capabilities and defence sector expertise, the companies intend to deliver a system that supports real-time data exchange among unmanned vehicles, battlefield sensors and military teams. The approach aims to enhance situational awareness and ensure interoperability for the Baltic countries and their coalition partners.

Juris Binde, President of LMT, highlights the established partnership between the two firms and confirms the focus on security and operational readiness, stating, “This partnership builds on our longstanding collaboration and shared commitment to advancing 5G capabilities for defence.

"Together with Nokia, we are enhancing the security, resilience and operational readiness of national and allied forces, ensuring mission success even in the most demanding environments.”

Developing a 5G platform for defence use

The joint system leverages the technological strengths of both Nokia and LMT, aiming to deliver resilient and scalable connectivity that meets the needs of modern operational environments.

Military users are expected to benefit from secure, high-capacity communications that support command and control functions across both unmanned and crewed platforms.

LMT operates Europe’s first dedicated 5G military testbed at the Ādaži base, a NATO facility in Latvia. The testbed provides an environment for new command-and-control and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) use cases.

Building on earlier initiatives, Nokia’s technical expertise and products, including the portable Banshee 5G tactical network, have already enabled field trials and practical demonstrations.

According to Giuseppe Targia, Head of Space and Defence at Nokia, “Tactical defence systems harness the high speed, low latency and robust connectivity of 5G networks to enhance real-time operations on the battlefield.

"Our joint solution with LMT supports the modernisation of military capabilities, enabling faster decision-making, seamless communication and the integration of advanced technologies across tactical environments.”

Joint solution targets situational data and interoperability

The Nokia–LMT agreement formalises the shift from pilot programmes to operational deployments, supporting military requirements for secure, high-throughput communications. Defence clients are seeking sovereign and autonomous solutions that function under contested conditions, supporting coalition interoperability and operational agility.

The new tactical 5G network features a private standalone core, portable radio access network and compact backhaul systems, offering the ability to function independently or with reach-back support.

Military users are expected to utilise edge compute and network slicing for critical applications, allowing for rapid data fusion from sensors, vehicles and dismounted teams.

The capabilities are central to reducing communication latency and sustaining information flow where connectivity is disrupted or contested.

The system aligns with NATO frameworks and national accreditation requirements, allowing for seamless integration with existing command and control environments and legacy data links.

Nokia and LMT refer to their long-term collaboration as a factor in accelerating the development and deployment of the new tactical solution.

As Juris continues, the companies are “enhancing the security, resilience and operational readiness” of defence forces, pointing to the priority placed on mission assurance and coalition coordination.