The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract worth up to £86 million to BlackTree Technologies for new AI capable radios, headsets and display tablets for British soldiers.
The systems are intended to speed up battlefield decision-making by delivering reconnaissance and intelligence data more quickly and clearly. The contract includes UK job creation and builds on testing during a deployment in Estonia, with deliveries beginning from September.
Announcement of AI Communication Systems
The Ministry of Defence said British soldiers will receive thousands of new radios, headsets and tablets designed to help them make faster decisions in operational environments. The equipment is described as AI capable and intended to improve how information is received and shared on the battlefield.
The MOD said the contract has been awarded to UK-based small and medium-sized enterprise BlackTree Technologies. The department said the system is expected to reduce the time it takes for soldiers to receive reconnaissance and intelligence data, with the aim of boosting lethality and reducing friendly fire incidents.
- What is being supplied
- Who is providing it
- What it is intended to improve
What the Dismounted Data System Provides
The MOD said the Dismounted Data System includes AI capable radios, headsets, display tablets, cables, batteries, pouches and antennas. It is intended to provide precise information on surroundings and intelligence, improving clarity about who is an enemy and who is a comrade.
The department said the equipment will link soldiers to the same network and can be tailored to different scenarios, allowing troops to receive voice data, visual data, or a combination of both. The MOD said the aim is to maximise effectiveness across battlefield situations.
- Integrated network for dismounted troops
- Voice, visual or combined data options
- Improved identification and situational clarity
Battlefield Testing and Operational Results
The MOD said the new systems have already been tested by soldiers on deployment in Estonia on NATO’s eastern flank. It said the visual information element allowed soldiers to be less distracted by loud noises on the battlefield.
Luke Pollard MP said the prior testing in Estonia was a benefit of the programme and that the system is designed to help soldiers receive and deploy accurate information. The MOD said the technology will begin rolling out to the British Army this year.
Estonia testing summary
| Location | Estonia, described by the MOD as NATO’s eastern flank |
| What was tested | Dismounted Data System equipment including visual information capability |
| Reported effect | Visual element helped soldiers be less distracted by loud battlefield noise |
Contract Value and Delivery Timeline
The MOD said the contract is worth up to £86 million, with an initial £46 million contract made by the Army with BlackTree Technologies and options for a further £40 million. It said equipment will be delivered in multiple tranches from September, with full rollout set to be complete in 2027.
The department said the work will be delivered by a British-based SME and is linked to wider plans to move to warfighting readiness. It also referenced the Chief of the General Staff’s ambition to double British Army lethality by 2027 and said the programme supports delivery of the Strategic Defence Review.
Contract and rollout details
| Maximum contract value | Up to £86 million |
| Initial Army contract | £46 million |
| Optional additional value | Up to £40 million |
| Deliveries begin | From September, in multiple tranches |
| Planned completion | Full rollout set to be complete in 2027 |
UK Industry and SME Support Impact
The MOD said the contract will create 12 UK defence industry jobs in locations including Tewkesbury, Hereford and Birmingham. It said the award supports the government’s commitment to spend more with UK small and medium-sized enterprises.
The MOD also said it is ramping up support for UK SMEs through the establishment in January of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth and a spending target of an additional £2.5 billion with UK SMEs through to May 2028. It said this would take total annual MOD spending with SMEs to £7.5 billion.
Stakeholder Comments
Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry said;
“The ability to receive, share and deploy accurate information is crucial to battlefield advantage, and this state-of-the-art technology will make our soldiers more integrated and more lethal.
It will begin rolling out to the British Army this year and with the work delivered by a British-based SME, shows that our move to warfighting readiness is being seized as an opportunity to make defence an engine for growth in the UK.”
Brigadier Jeremy Sharpe, Head of Tactical Systems, National Armaments Director Group said;
“We are delighted to be building on the successful deployment in Estonia last year and looking forward to working with BlackTree Technologies to bring this game changing capability to more of the British Army.”
Neil Clements-Hill, founder and Managing Director of BlackTree Technologies said;
“BlackTree are excited to be working with the TacSys team to field this cutting-edge technology to the British Army. Waveforms ensure that the Army can operate in the most demanding environments, when nothing else works.”
Moving Forward
The MOD said the Dismounted Data System will be delivered to the Army in multiple tranches from September, with full rollout set to complete in 2027. It said the contract supports warfighting readiness and the ambition to increase battlefield effectiveness, while also contributing to UK defence industry employment.
The department said the award aligns with its commitment to increase spending with UK SMEs and expand support for smaller suppliers.
Sources: Ministry of Defence and Luke Pollard MP.
Prepared by Ivan Alexander Golden, Founder of THX News, an independent news organisation delivering timely insights from global official sources. Combines AI-analysed research with human-edited accuracy and context.
