Demonstration advances interoperability of commercial 5G connections with military communications systems
Successfully integrated Nokia's military-grade 5G solutions and Verizon network management capabilities into Lockheed Martin 5G.MIL hybrid base station
BETHESDA, Md., March 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) today announced the successful integration of Nokia's industry-leading, military-grade 5G solutions into Lockheed Martin's 5G.MIL® Hybrid Base Station (HBS). The technology advances new capabilities to integrate commercial 5G connections with military communications systems to provide decisive information for national defense. 5G is playing an expanding role in supporting tactical military missions, seamlessly complementing existing battlefield solutions.
Lockheed Martin Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Lockheed Martin)
Expert Perspectives "The United States and its allies increasingly depend on fast, secure and advanced communications to access critical information and ensure effective deterrence against threats," said John Clark, senior vice president, Lockheed Martin Technology & Strategic Innovation. "5G.MIL® integrations like this strategic relationship with Nokia and Verizon will help ensure data is seamlessly routed throughout the battlespace in ways that make future mission success possible."
"This successful integration highlights the flexibility of Nokia's cutting-edge, 5G solutions to meet the unique demands of defense, ensuring robust security, optimized size, weight, and power efficiency, while supporting O-RAN and open, interoperable technologies," said Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia. "Through our work with Lockheed Martin and Verizon, we are bringing the transformative power of 5G to mission-critical defense operations, enhancing situational awareness, speeding up decision-making, and reinforcing mission success."
Dive Deeper In a series of recent demonstrations, Lockheed Martin integrated Nokia's military-grade 5G solutions into the 5G.MIL Unified Network Solutions ecosystem, including interoperability with Verizon's network operations and management solutions. These tests successfully integrated traditional tactical communications solutions with 5G using open systems architecture and commercial standards. Leveraging open standards in this way allows for rapid integration of new, advanced capabilities into HBS configurations, ensuring new products and technology solutions are drop-in ready with no risk of vendor lock.
Initial integration was completed with equipment from Nokia's leading 5G portfolio at Verizon's Boston Innovation Center and HBS components at Lockheed Martin's Valley Forge laboratory in Pennsylvania. Final systems integration, testing and demonstration were accomplished at Lockheed Martin's facility in Ft. Worth, Texas.
The demonstration included HBS connectivity to hybrid user equipment (HUE) that allows users to switch access links between commercial 5G and tactical LPx waveforms while maintaining uninterrupted user application sessions on an Android user device. LPX designates low-probability-of-detection, interception, exploitation, jamming, geolocation and spoofing. By integrating the 5G.MIL HBS with Nokia's 5G solutions, as well as demonstrating interoperability with Verizon's public 5G network and leveraging their network operations management software, Lockheed Martin and its strategic collaborators are well positioned to bring new levels of performance, scalability, and reliability to military, national security wireless, and ally international defense networks.
What's Next? This strategic collaboration for Lockheed Martin, Nokia, and Verizon will enable continuing integration of new technology advancements, including incorporation of Nokia's 5G technology at Lockheed Martin's 5G.MIL Experimental Network site in Orlando, Florida, joining Verizon's capabilities already available on-site. With 5G's low latency, high bandwidth, and secure connectivity, warfighters can leverage real-time data and advanced situational awareness in dynamic operational environments. The team will continue to refine and enhance technical offerings, including expanding hybrid network testing to include additional user device types, broader tactical communication system interoperability, and secure public-private network configurations. This will create new ways for customers to apply enhanced capabilities to global military, national security, and homeland defense mission areas, giving operators greater connectivity, faster and more reliable wireless networks, and enhanced interoperability in support of Joint All Domain Operations.
About Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at www.lockheedmartin.com.
About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.
As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.
With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.
