Private 5G/4G Cellular Networks for Defense 2024-2030: Cumulative spending on private 5G Networks in the Defense Sector set to reach $1.5 Billion between 2024 and 2027 – ResearchAndMarkets.com

January 24, 2025

The “Private 5G/4G Cellular Networks for Defense, 2024-2030: Infrastructure Spending Forecasts” report from SNS Telecom & IT has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The report indicates that the cumulative spending on private 5G networks in the defense sector will reach $1.5 Billion between 2024 and 2027.

Private 5G and 4G LTE cellular networks – also referred to as NPNs (Non-Public Networks) in 3GPP terminology – are rapidly gaining popularity across a diverse range of vertical industries. The defense industry is no exception to this trend, with private cellular network solutions in the sector extending from permanent 5G networks at military bases and training facilities to satellite-backhauled portable cellular systems for warfighters at the tactical edge.

Alongside their use of specialized, proprietary communication systems, armed forces around the world are increasingly turning to adapted COTS (Commercial-off-the-Shelf) network solutions – especially those built on 3GPP standards – to reduce costs, expedite deployment timelines and support increasingly complex application scenarios. The U.S. DOD (Department of Defense) has recently published its strategy for deploying Open RAN-compliant private 5G networks at military installations in the United States and overseas territories. Supported by over $650 Million in funding over the past three years, several U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force bases already host on-premise 5G infrastructure for both experimental and operational use.

The Spanish Army and Navy have awarded multiple contracts – collectively worth $15 Million – to mobile operator Telefonica to supply standalone private 5G networks for army brigades on the move, armored systems and helicopter maintenance parks, naval bases, ships and marine infantry units. The Norwegian Armed Forces are utilizing a combination of defense-specific network slices and tactical private 5G networks to support their future mobile communications needs while the South Korean military is leveraging private 5G installations for smart naval base operations, runway safety management and XR (Extended Reality)-based training, including small unit tactics and firearm disassembly/assembly-related education.

Other examples range from the ZNV (Deployable Cellular Networks) program of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) to the ADF’s (Australian Defence Force) private LTE and 5G-ready networks for live and synthetic military training environments. The analyst predicts that global spending on private 5G and 4G LTE network infrastructure in the defense sector will grow at a CAGR of 21% over the next three years, collectively accounting for nearly $1.5 Billion between 2024 and 2027.

Some notable examples of operational deployments and ongoing projects are listed below:

The U.S. DOD (Department of Defense) has recently published its strategy for deploying Open RAN-compliant private 5G networks at military installations in the United States and overseas territories. Several U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force bases already host on-premise 5G infrastructure for both experimental and operational use.
The Spanish Army and Navy have awarded multiple contracts – collectively worth $15 Million – to mobile operator Telefonica to supply standalone private 5G networks for army brigades on the move, armored systems and helicopter maintenance parks, naval bases, ships and marine infantry units.
As part of the ZNV (Deployable Cellular Networks) program, the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) have adopted a rapidly deployable cellular network solution to replace their legacy Tetrapol trunked radio system.
The Norwegian Armed Forces are utilizing a combination of defense-specific 5G network slices sourced as a managed service from commercial mobile operators and tactical private 5G networks to support their future mobile communications needs.
The Jordanian Armed Forces and Ministry of Interior are jointly investing over $10 Million to deploy a hybrid TETRA-LTE communications system to support both narrowband voice and broadband data applications.
As part of the Qatar MoD’s (Ministry of Defense) LTE-5G program, the Signals Corps of the Gulf country’s armed forces has deployed a nationwide wireless network for mission-critical communications.
The ADF (Australian Defence Force) relies on private LTE and 5G-ready networks to support wireless broadband communications for live and synthetic military training environments.
The South Korean military is leveraging private 5G installations for smart naval base operations, runway safety management and XR (Extended Reality)-based training, including small unit tactics and firearm disassembly/assembly-related education.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to deploy local 5G networks across JSDF (Japan Self-Defense Forces) military installations to digitize rear-area operations, such as base security, and reduce the burden on personnel.
The Brazilian Army and state-level military police forces have installed private LTE infrastructure in strategic locations to facilitate high-availability and reliable broadband communications.

Topics Covered & Forecast Segmentation

The Private LTE & 5G Network Ecosystem: 2024 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts

This report covers the following topics:

Introduction to private LTE and 5G networks
Value chain and ecosystem structure
Market drivers and challenges
System architecture and key elements of private LTE and 5G networks
Operational and business models, network size, geographic reach and other practical aspects of private LTE and 5G networks
Critical communications broadband evolution, Industry 4.0, enterprise transformation and other themes shaping the adoption of private LTE and 5G networks
Enabling technologies and concepts, including 3GPP-defined MCX, URLLC, TSC, DetNet, NR-U, SNPN and PNI-NPN, RedCap, cellular IoT, high-precision positioning, network slicing, edge computing and network automation capabilities
Key trends such as the emergence of new classes of specialized network operators, shared and local area spectrum licensing, private NaaS (Network-as-a-Service) offerings, IT/OT convergence, Open RAN, vRAN and rapidly deployable LTE/5G systems
Analysis of vertical industries and application scenarios, extending from mission-critical group communications and real-time video transmission to reconfigurable wireless production lines, collaborative mobile robots, AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and untethered AR/VR/MR (Augmented, Virtual & Mixed Reality)
Future roadmap of private LTE and 5G networks
Review of private LTE and 5G network installations worldwide, including 160 case studies spanning 16 verticals
Database tracking more than 7,300 private LTE and 5G engagements in over 130 countries across the globe
Spectrum availability, allocation and usage across the global, regional and national domains
Standardization, regulatory and collaborative initiatives
Profiles and strategies of more than 1,800 ecosystem players
Strategic recommendations for LTE/5G equipment and chipset suppliers, system integrators, private network specialists, mobile operators and end user organizations
Exclusive interview transcripts from 24 companies across the private LTE/5G value chain: A5G Networks, Anritsu, Ataya, Ballast Networks, CableFree (Wireless Excellence), Cavli Wireless, Celona, Digi International, Druid Software, Ericsson, Future Technologies Venture, InfiniG, JMA Wireless, MosoLabs, Neutroon, Nokia, Pente Networks, Picocom, RADTONICS, Shabodi, Sigma Wireless, Telrad Networks, T-Mobile US and X4000 Communications
Market analysis and forecasts from 2024 to 2030

Private 5G/4G Cellular Networks for Defense: 2024 – 2030 – Infrastructure Spending Forecasts

This datasheet provides private 5G/4G infrastructure forecasts for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:

Infrastructure Submarkets

RAN (LTE & 5G NR Radio Access Network)
- Base Station RUs (Radio Units)
- DUs/CUs (Distributed & Centralized Baseband Units)
  - Mobile Core (EPC & 5GC)
Transport Network

Technology Generations

Cell Types