Marconi Demonstrates Archer Troposcatter System’s High-Speed Tactical Communications in Swedish Defence Evaluation
MONTREAL: Marconi Technologies has successfully completed an extensive field evaluation of its Archer tactical troposcatter communication system with Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), demonstrating the platform’s ability to deliver stable, high-capacity communications across one of the country’s most technically demanding test routes.
The multi-day assessment was conducted from June 1 to June 5 between Enköping and Arboga, covering a communication link of approximately 75 kilometres that has historically presented significant challenges for maintaining reliable high-throughput troposcatter connectivity.
According to Marconi Technologies, Archer maintained a continuous and frequency-diverse communications link throughout the evaluation, successfully delivering reliable performance under operational conditions representative of real-world military deployments.
The company said the successful trial validates Archer’s capability to satisfy the Swedish Armed Forces’ requirement for a tactical beyond-line-of-sight communication system that combines operational effectiveness with rapid deployment in the field.
One of the platform’s distinguishing features is its automatic antenna alignment capability, eliminating much of the manual calibration normally associated with tactical communication systems.
Combined with its compact transportable design, the feature enables military personnel to deploy the system rapidly while reducing logistical complexity during field operations.
During the evaluation, FMV also confirmed Archer’s compatibility with the Swedish Armed Forces’ Mobile Network Node (MKN) architecture, allowing operators to integrate existing networking equipment directly into the communications link without requiring extensive system modifications.
Marconi further reported that Archer achieved data throughput levels measuring five to six times higher than previous results recorded along the same communication route, representing a significant improvement in operational performance.
Chief Executive Officer Alain Cohen said Archer was designed from the outset to combine advanced communications capability with operational simplicity.
He noted that the system enables a two-person team to establish secure beyond-line-of-sight communications in fewer than 20 minutes, even across difficult terrain, while maintaining automatic antenna alignment and minimal communication downtime.
According to Cohen, those capabilities significantly expand operational flexibility for military forces conducting missions in environments where satellite communications are unavailable, degraded or denied.
Archer is Marconi’s tactical troposcatter communications terminal, engineered to provide high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity across distances exceeding 200 kilometres without depending on satellites or fixed communications infrastructure.
Its tool-free assembly process, automated alignment system and rapid deployment capability allow the platform to operate effectively in harsh environments ranging from deserts and mountain regions to Arctic and polar conditions.
The Swedish evaluation follows another significant milestone for the company after Archer was recently selected by the United States Army for secure tactical beyond-line-of-sight communications, further strengthening its position within the global defence communications market.
Marconi believes the successful Swedish trials reinforce Archer’s potential to support modern military operations that require resilient, rapidly deployable communications capable of maintaining high-speed connectivity in challenging operational environments where conventional networks may be unavailable or compromised.
