Radio technology from Ulm for the Bundeswehr

The German Armed Forces will soon be equipped with the HF radio system HRM 9000, which represents a higher level of this technology compared to its predecessor HRM 7000. With it, the troops will receive an advanced solution for long-range communication. The southern German manufacturer Elbit Systems Germany develops and produces the core components of the system at the Ulm site, the center of expertise for shortwave radio of the international Elbit Group. The testing of the radio equipment by the German Armed Forces has already begun, and the delivery to selected units is scheduled for 2023.

The modular HF radio systems of the HRM 9000 type are national high technology for German classified data and voice communication. The predecessors of the HRM 7000 series, also manufactured in Ulm, have been widely used in KFOR missions, as well as by reconnaissance units, scouts, and special forces. Due to the component compatibility, no modifications need to be made to vehicles, carrying systems, etc. for the HRM 9000 series.

The production in Germany not only ensures a high level of independence from international supply chains but also ensures that this key technology can be preserved and further developed in Germany. This, in turn, ensures that the German Armed Forces have access to modern HF communication.

The new radio systems offer capabilities for transmitting larger amounts of data (e.g. video material), as well as Blue Force Tracking (locating own or friendly units) and modern encryption of digital data flow. They also support standard NATO waveforms (e.g. STANAG 4538), meaning they are compatible with the radio equipment of allied forces operating in unencrypted open transmission mode in this area.

Also, in terms of the increasing resilience of the German Armed Forces, HF radio, with lower data transmission rates, can serve as a complementary solution for SATCOM applications - a realization that analysts have drawn from the challenges of communication in German military deployments abroad.

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