Leonardo and O2 collaborate to demonstrate the benefits of 5G private networks to the defence and security industry

Leonardo’s Edinburgh, Scotland-based Innovation and Technology Incubator Centre has announced that it will partner with O2 (Telefónica UK) to investigate several innovative applications of private 5G technology in the defence and security industry.

High speed and secure information 

Proposed uses of secure, high-bandwidth mobile data include facilitating next-generation ‘future factory’ manufacturing capabilities and providing high speed and secure information services, both of which will be needed to deliver high-pace programmes, such as Tempest, which is seeing the United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden collaborating to develop future combat air capabilities.

O2 (Telefónica UK) will provide a secure 5G private network and a range of Industry 4.0 applications in order to evaluate how they could be used in the digital transformation of business and the end-to-end manufacturing process.

Innovation and Technology Incubator Centre

Leonardo’s Innovation and Technology Incubator Centre offers those with alternative business ideas

Founded with the mission of ‘bringing ideas to reality’, Leonardo’s Innovation and Technology Incubator Centre offers those with alternative business ideas and disruptive technology an opportunity to partner with one of Britain’s biggest technology and engineering firms and one of the principal suppliers of equipment to the UK Ministry of Defence.

Leonardo and O2 believe there is huge potential for 5G technology, which can meet the high security standards demanded by the defence sector and provide security assurance within companies’ digital infrastructure.

Importance of 5G technology in defence and security

Norman Bone, Chair and Managing Director of Leonardo UK said, “5G will be an important tool for the UK’s aerospace, defence and security industry, as we look to stay competitive in the global market and continue to export products and services from the United Kingdom. This partnership with O2 will inform the roll-out of this technology within Leonardo and study its wider potential across our industry and customer base.”

One such initiative involves a trial of the potential for wirelessly delivering the mission, support and maintenance data updates to aircraft, such as the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat helicopter. This could speed up turnaround times between missions and improve platform reliability while meeting the stringent security requirements necessary for frontline military systems.

Supporting ‘future factory’ techniques

Another joint project will investigate how Leonardo’s manufacturing facilities could use 5G-enabled technology to support ‘future factory’ techniques, such as digital manufacturing and intelligent infrastructure. By using a private, highly-secure 5G network, Leonardo can adopt such game-changing Industry 4.0 approaches while continuing to meet the security obligations expected by its government and military customers.

This will be critical in delivering programmes such as Tempest, the next-generation combat air system, which is being designed to be manufactured significantly faster and at a lower cost than previous generation combat aircraft.

Delivering 5G private networks as a capability

As well as understanding the possibilities of 5G in the delivery of Leonardo’s manufacturing and service provision, the project will also consider the potential benefits that Leonardo could offer to its own customers by delivering 5G private networks as a capability.

Jo Bertram, Managing Director of Business at O2, said, “The partnership will explore how we can use 5G private networks in the wider defence sector, demonstrating their capability to help digitally transform a business and leveraging our ability to draw from a deep and rich application ecosystem. It’s great to be working on such an exciting programme, to leverage the technical capabilities of both businesses that’ll have real positive impacts on network solutions, mobility and security.”

Asset Tracking and Health & Safety solutions

Asset Tracking to ensure complete control of distribution and logistics

Other use cases of the technology from O2 include enabling ‘Remote Expert’ training and Health & Safety solutions, and Asset Tracking to ensure complete control of distribution and logistics, remote camera solutions via drones for increased security purposes, and high level security of data.

The rollout of new 5G technologies is especially important to Leonardo because it touches on all three of their Be Tomorrow - Leonardo 2030 pathways to change. New 5G applications will strengthen their core, by improving operations and allowing them to compete more successfully.

Making organisations more connected and flexible

5G will help transform the ways of working, in order to make the organisation more connected, modern and flexible.

Moving early to investigate the potential applications of private 5G technology is also in line with the drive to master the new, leading the way in innovation and addressing new high tech markets. By doing all of the above, Leonardo will be able to continue to deliver value and act as a strategic asset in the countries in which they work.