Tactical Radios Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Advancement in communication technology:  The development of more powerful and adaptable tactical radios is driven by new advancements in communication technology, such as spectrum-efficient modulation techniques and software-defined radio. Due to the growing reliance on network communication systems, the design and deployment of tactical radios should take into account cybersecurity. Investment in secure communication technologies is crucial to reduce cyber risks and ensure the secrecy and integrity of military communications. In December 2024, Defense Advancement unveiled its plans to delve into cutting-edge developments that can revolutionize military radios and tactical communications technology.

• Escalating usage of software-defined radio: Increased capacity, flexibility, and reconfigurability can be achieved by using a radio communication system that uses software instead of or in addition to traditional hardware components. Software-defined radio or SDR is a technology used for this purpose. SDR systems on computers or embedded devices are often powered by software that controls radio frequency hardware, such as analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analogue converters, and digital-to-digital converters. Several enterprises are developing software-defined radios. In August 2023, Viasat announced the launch of the Black ICE Software Defined Radio product line, with a variety of modem options available. To ensure safe data transmission operations for vital mission activities, Black ICE SDR modem solutions can be integrated with custom waveforms as well as those available on the Internet.

Challenges

• High cost of induction: Several army units still use old technology and standards in their existing communication systems. Integrating modern tactical radios into older systems can be difficult and costly; compatibility testing, software updates, or new equipment is also required. This may hamper the overall sales of modern tactical radios to a certain extent.

• Interoperability issues: Tactical radios across various frequency bands and managing spectrum allocation among different systems is complex. This can often lead to compatibility challenges during joint operations, affecting market growth.