The Blackned acquisition is intended to turn the Bundeswehr into a digital army

Networked Warfare

Among other things, armored vehicles should communicate securely with the escort via the Blackned system.

(Photo: dpa)

Dusseldorf Timo Haas speaks of a “Fritz box” for the tank when he is asked to explain what his company Blackned does. It’s about building a network in which devices from different manufacturers can communicate with each other. In the case of Blackned: tanks. The technology is so important for the Rheinmetall armaments group that it is now taking a 40 percent stake in the 150-employee company.

Blackned also plays an important role for the Bundeswehr. In the future, the company will ensure the communication of the land forces across system boundaries – from the old radio to the 5G smartphone. This is also necessary in order to build up an operational division by 2025 as planned.

Military experts consider the networking of weapon systems to be decisive for future wars. “The ultimate goal is combined arms combat,” says founder and CEO Haas, who was an IT officer for the Bundeswehr abroad a few years ago. “The classic Leopard is defenseless without accompanying troops such as anti-aircraft, army aviation and infantry.”

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