mission critical communications
Analysis of Airspan Networks & Atika Alliance: Resilient, Multi-Domain 5G Mission Critical Connectivity for the Defense Industry
Airspan Networks Holdings LLC (“Airspan”) and ATIKA Venture, S.L. (“Atika”) have entered into a strategic collaboration to advance resilient, multi-domain 5G communications for defense and security operations. The initiative focuses on developing interoperable, deployable network systems optimized for mission-critical connectivity across terrestrial and airborne domains.
The cooperation framework covers both commercial and technical engagements, with initial activities centered in Spain and expansion potential across Europe. The partnership unites Airspan’s portfolio in Open RAN (O-RAN), 5G, and commercial Air-to-Ground (ATG) communications with Atika’s capabilities in tactical 5G deployments, AI-driven network analytics, and secure 5G core integration for defense-grade environments.
Joint programs will address the convergence of deployable 5G infrastructure and mobile ad hoc network (MANET) systems under a unified network orchestration and control layer. The combined architecture aims to provide secure, high-throughput connectivity in dynamic and contested electromagnetic environments. Technical priorities include rapid network deployment, automated resilience management, AI-assisted spectrum optimization, and end-to-end encryption aligned with defense mission profiles.
Image Credit: Aviat Networks
“Airspan has a strong history of solving advanced connectivity challenges, including low-latency, high-mobility communications through our Air-to-Ground In-Motion 5G platform,” stated Glenn Laxdal, CEO of Airspan. “Through this collaboration with Atika, we aim to adapt our commercial-grade 5G and O-RAN technologies to defense use cases that demand operational resilience and interoperability across domains. Atika’s deep experience in defense communications, combined with their expertise in AI-enabled network intelligence and secure 5G core technologies, represents a substantial complement to our portfolio.”
“The operational landscape increasingly depends on adaptable, intelligent, and sovereign networks,” said Ana Rodríguez Quirós, Managing Director of Atika. “Our partnership with Airspan strengthens our ability to support multi-domain 5G for defense users, extending connectivity beyond satellite and traditional radio systems. Building on our collaboration with the Spanish Army, this alliance demonstrates how advanced 5G network architectures can directly enhance mission readiness, mobility, and overall operational effectiveness.”
About Airspan:
Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Airspan Networks Holdings LLC is an innovative U.S.-based provider of wireless network solutions with a global presence, focused on delivering carrier-grade 5G and advanced wireless connectivity. Airspan’s portfolio spans three core solution areas – in-building, outdoor, and air-to-ground – and includes market-leading products for DAS, Open RAN, and small cells across both public and private network settings. Airspan supports mobile network operators, neutral-host providers, enterprises, public-sector organizations, and other service providers in building reliable, scalable wireless networks that enhance coverage and capacity while enabling fast, efficient deployment.
Visit our website at https://airspan.com/
About Atika:
Atika is a Spanish technology company specializing in advanced tactical communications and deployable 5G networks for defense and security. Its technology focuses on federated architectures, multi-domain connectivity, and network intelligence capabilities designed for real operational environments.
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Requirements and Analysis:
1.] Resilient, mission-critical 5G connectivity (URLCC that meets ITU-R M.2410 Technical Performance Requirements for IMT 2020) recommendation with a
2.] Unified network orchestration and control layer (5G Services Based Architecture depends on implementation of 3GPP Release 17 and 18 specifications.
1. Enhancements to the 5G NR Physical Layer (PHY) to support Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) in the Radio Access Network (RAN). While basic URLLC support was established in Release 15. When 3GPP Release 16 was frozen in July 2020, URLLC in the RAN enhancements had not been completed or performance tested. Hence, the ITU-R M.2150 standard for IMT 2020 RIT/SRIT initially did not meet the ITU-R M.2410 Technical Performance Requirements for IMT 2020 recommendation
The most significant PHY-layer optimizations were finalized in Release 16 (Phase 2) an Release 17 (Phase 3) with more to come in Release 18 as described below.
a] Release 16 (The “IIoT and URLLC” Phase):
This release introduced foundational PHY improvements to reach “six nines” (99.9999%) reliability. Key features included:
- New DCI Formats: Compact Downlink Control Information (DCI) formats (e.g., Format 0_2 and 1_2) were added to reduce signaling overhead and improve robustness.
- Sub-slot HARQ-ACK Feedback: Enabled faster feedback by allowing multiple HARQ-ACK transmissions within a single slot.
- PUSCH Repetition Type B: Introduced to allow even finer-grained (mini-slot based) repetitions for low-latency uplink, enabling transmissions to cross slot boundaries.
- Intra-UE Prioritization: Standardized the ability for a device to prioritize a high-priority (URLLC) transmission over a lower-priority (eMBB) one if they overlap in time.
- Multi-TRP (CoMP): Enhanced support for Transmission and Reception Points (TRPs) to provide spatial diversity, ensuring communication continues if one path is blocked.
Ericsson +6
b] Release 17 (The “Further Enhanced URLLC” Phase):
Completed in 2022, this release focused on consolidating these features and extending them to more complex scenarios:
- URLLC in Unlicensed Spectrum (NR-U): Adapted URLLC PHY procedures for unlicensed bands, addressing regulatory constraints like Listen-Before-Talk (LBT).
- Improved HARQ-ACK and CSI Reporting: Introduced more efficient and robust feedback mechanisms for better link adaptation.
- Enhanced Multi-TRP for UL: Further optimized uplink transmissions using multiple TRPs for increased reliability.
- Feedback Reliability: Improved HARQ-ACK and Channel State Information (CSI) reporting to ensure the network can adapt to rapid channel changes.
- Traffic Prioritization: Intra-UE prioritization allows URLLC data to “pre-empt” or take priority over standard mobile broadband (eMBB) data within the same device.
- Power Savings: New mechanisms like Paging Early Indication (PEI) allow URLLC-capable sensors to remain in low-power states longer without sacrificing the ability to wake up instantly for critical data.
| Company | Modem Model(s) | Rel-17 URLLC Features |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm | World’s first 5G Advanced-ready modem. Supports enhanced HARQ-ACK and CSI feedback for reliability, and AI-based beam management to maintain stable URLLC links. | |
| MediaTek |
MediaTek M90
|
Conforms to Rel-17 standards and aligns with Rel-18 5G-Advanced. Implements Rel-17 Paging Early Indication (PEI) to reduce power while maintaining low-latency readiness. |
| Samsung |
Exynos Modem 5300
|
While primary documentation emphasizes Rel-16, Samsung achieved 1024 QAM (defined in Rel-17) in partnership with Qualcomm. Supports ultra-low latency via FR2 and EN-DC. |
- Ericsson: Enabled “Time-Critical Communication” as a software upgrade on its RAN. Its Rel-17 implementation focuses on Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ-ACK) enhancements, intra-UE multiplexing, and time-synchronization for Industrial IoT (IIoT).
- Nokia: Updated its AirScale portfolio to support Rel-17 features, specifically targeting Time-Sensitive Communications (TSC) and deterministic networking for private factory environments.
- Huawei: Has integrated Rel-17 URLLC enhancements as part of its “5.5G” (5G-Advanced) marketing, focusing on achieving sub-10ms latency for wide-area industrial control and 1ms for local-area automation.
2. 3GPP has specified a unified management and orchestration framework for 5G systems, primarily developed by working group SA5 (Management, Orchestration, and Charging). Starting from Release 15, 3GPP introduced a Service-Based Management Architecture (SBMA), which acts as a unified layer to manage and orchestrate 5G networks, including the Core, RAN, and end-to-end network slices.
- Service-Based Management Architecture (SBMA): Instead of legacy, vendor-specific interfaces, 3GPP adopted a service-oriented approach. This architecture uses Management Services (MnS), which provide standardized interfaces for both management and orchestration, facilitating multi-vendor interoperability.
- End-to-End Slice Management: The 3GPP standards (notably TS 28.530/531/532/533) define a common approach to manage the entire lifecycle of a 5G network slice (creation, activation, supervision, and termination) across RAN, Core, and Transport domains.
- Network Automation (NWDAF): The Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), introduced in Release 15, is a key component for automated control. It collects network data, analyzes it, and feeds back insights to assist in policy management (PCF) and slice selection (NSSF).
- Intent-Driven Management: 3GPP is enhancing its standards to support intent-driven management, enabling operators to manage network resources based on high-level desired outcomes rather than low-level configuration, which is crucial for autonomous networks.
- AI/ML Management: Recent releases (18/19) focus on a unified, domain-independent AI/ML management and orchestration framework that supports the full lifecycle of AI/ML models within the 5G system.
The latest 3GPP release with finalized specifications for Service-Based Management Architecture (SBMA) is Release 18 (Rel-18), which was functionally frozen in early 2024. Rel-18 includes enhanced study items (FS_eSBMA) focused on supporting management for 5G standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) scenarios and management of Management Functions.
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References:
SNS Telecom & IT: Mission-Critical Networks a $9.2 Billion Market
3GPP Release 16 5G NR Enhancements for URLLC in the RAN & URLLC in the 5G Core network
3GPP Release 16 Update: 5G Phase 2 (including URLLC) to be completed in June 2020; Mission Critical apps extended
Huawei, Qualcomm, Samsung, and Ericsson Leading Patent Race in $15 Billion 5G Licensing Market
https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/sa5-5g
Revolutionizing 5G Mission Critical Transport Networks (Part 2)
Lumen to provide mission-critical communications services to the U.S. Department of Defense
Lumen Technologies recently won a $223 million contract from the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to provide secure, mission-critical communications services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
“The U.S. Department of Defense has a far-reaching mission to provide military forces to deter war and ensure our nation’s security. DoD selected Lumen to deliver voice communications services that will help it carry out its important mission using today’s technologies,” said Zain Ahmed, senior vice president, Lumen public sector. “DoD is modernizing its network and leveraging cloud-based technologies like the new voice system enabled by Lumen that securely connects our troops with modern communications tools wherever they are.”
- Lumen will supply DISA with modern hybrid-cloud voice and audio-conferencing services that support the Department of Defense (DoD)’s mission both inside and outside the U.S.
- The new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system saves the government money by eliminating the need for desk phones and supporting remote users as DoD transitions to a hybrid workforce.
- Lumen is serving as a trusted provider of secure, resilient communications services that enable more than 250,000 concurrent connections to DISA’s voice cloud system.
- Lumen is supplying unified communications services via an integrated phone system that runs over the company’s fiber network.
- Delivering voice and conferencing services from cloud data centers that meet DoD Impact Level 5 security standards provides modern capabilities with scalable infrastructure ready to meet warfighters’ needs on demand.
The new voice services will support DoD’s transition to a next generation 911 (NG911) system at military bases that can better pinpoint and route first responders to a caller’s location. The Lumen NG911 platform improves the delivery of emergency calls and enables residents to contact 911 not only by making a voice call—it also lays the foundation for the delivery of pictures and videos in the future.
- The $223 million task order has a base performance period of one year, with three additional one-year options and a potential six-month extension.
- It was awarded to Lumen under the General Services Administration’s 15-year, $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) program.
- Tyto Government Solutions, Inc. is a strategic subcontractor to Lumen. The two companies are working to fulfill the order’s technical requirements by delivering phone and conferencing services from highly available, resilient cloud data centers that meet DoD Impact Level 5 (IL5) security standards.
- Lumen is honored to support military and government agencies with innovative adaptive networking, edge cloud, connected security and collaboration services using the company’s platform for advanced application delivery solutions.
- The company provides a platform for IT modernization that delivers the security and reliability military and civilian agencies need to carry out their important missions.
- Learn more about our Defense Information Systems Agency $1.5 billion award to provide network transport to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Area of Responsibility: http://news.lumen.com/2022-11-01-Lumen-wins-1-5-billion-Defense-Information-Systems-Network-contract
- Learn more about our U.S. Department of Agriculture $1.2 billion network services award: https://news.lumen.com/2022-01-20-U-S-Department-of-Agriculture-awards-Lumen-1-2-billion-network-services-contract
- Learn more about our U.S. Department of the Interior $1.6 billion network services award: https://news.lumen.com/2020-01-16-U-S-Dept-of-the-Interior-Awards-CenturyLink-1-6-Billion-EIS-Network-Services-Win
- Learn more about how Lumen is supporting the public sector here:
https://www.lumen.com/public-sector.html
Lumen is guided by our belief that humanity is at its best when technology advances the way we live and work. With approximately 400,000 route fiber miles and serving customers in more than 60 countries, we deliver the fastest, most secure platform for applications and data to help businesses, government and communities deliver amazing experiences. Learn more about the Lumen network, edge cloud, security, communication and collaboration solutions and our purpose to further human progress through technology at news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Learn more about Lumen’s public sector capabilities on Twitter at @lumengov and on LinkedIn at @lumenpublicsector. Lumen and Lumen Technologies are registered trademarks in the United States.
