Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract in another important large-scale project for the Bundeswehr in the field of digitalisation. As the prime contractor, Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH will be responsible for setting up an integrated communication network, the so-called ‘Tactical Wide Area Network for Land Based Operations’ (TaWAN LBO). The volume of the awarded framework-contract for a deployable, platform-based communication/directional radio management system is worth several billion Euro.
The framework-contract for the procurement of TaWAN LBO has a term of 10 years and was signed by representatives of the Federal Office for the Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) and Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH.
At the same time, an initial order worth €1.88bn gross was placed under the framework-contract to equip a division of the Bundeswehr. Delivery of this communications network will take place between the end of 2026 and the end of 2029.
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: “We are thankful for the great trust that the Bundeswehr is placing in us regarding its ambitious digitalization efforts. Now that the Bundeswehr will be receiving TaWAN LBO and D-LBO from a single source, the conditions for a synchronized coordination concerning the introduction of both systems are given. It is our ambition to provide the Bundeswehr with a seamless and reliable communication network within the given timeframe – one which can be considered a flagship of digitalisation in Germany”.
The core function of TaWAN LBO is to provide an open transport network for Federated Mission Networking (FMN) based on Protected Core Network (PCN) to connect the forward tactical D-LBO networks to the rear-echelon core network CIR. Following the contracts awarded at the end of 2024 as part of the Bundeswehr’s Digitalised Land-Based Operations (D-LBO) programme, TaWAN LBO will be a further milestone for the end-to-end command capabilities of the armed forces. In connection with D-LBO, the TaWAN LBO network is to ensure connectivity deep into the rear area at high data rates.
As part of the TaWAN LBO project, Rheinmetall is also supplying protected 8×8 HX trucks from Rheinmetall MAN, which serve as carrier vehicles for the large directional radio systems and are equipped with mobile high extendable antenna masts.
One of the vehicles will hold the mast system, another will carry the 20-foot functional container with workstations, servers and other equipment. Rheinmetall MAN will be delivering a total of 102 vehicles.
Other vehicle platforms are used in conjunction with smaller mobile extendable antenna masts (small directional radio system). A software-based directional radio management system is part of the overall solution which will ensure the functionality of the directional radio system, and can be used to plan and execute operations.
