• Long-range 5G SA data communication at sea successfully demonstrated
• On-board connectivity and naval vessel systems successfully tested
• Live trials conducted over a prolonged period in real daytime/night-time operational conditions

Ericsson international defense company Leonardo, and the Italian Navy have conducted a maritime connectivity test using an Ericsson 5G Standalone system. The trial was successfully completed, enabling connectivity between naval units engaged in a day and night training scenario on the open sea.

A completely self-contained end-to-end Ericsson 5G SA network – comprising Ericsson Ultra Compact Core and Ericsson Massive MIMO Radio Access Network products and solutions – was installed on board the Italian Navy’s amphibious landing ship San Giorgio, which served as the lead unit during a recent experimentation campaign.

Ericsson 5G SA customer premises equipment (CPE) was installed on board a second unit of the Italian Navy – the Multi-Purpose Combat Ship Raimondo Montecuccoli.

Leonardo and Ericsson collaborated in the EDF 5G COMPAD project and demonstrated its outcomes during the Italian Navy’s Operational Experimentation (OPEX) 2-25 in the Gulf of Taranto.

Using Ericsson’s 5G Standalone connectivity and Leonardo’s NINE encryption solution, the trial enabled the secure, real-time exchange of classified and unclassified information between two naval units, including full situational awareness from the Combat Management System and video streams from 12 unmanned systems processed via the AI Brain platform.

The OPEX validated the performance, security and resilience of 5G SA for on-board connected systems, while also showing how a unified 5G network can optimize spectrum usage compared to multiple standalone communication systems operating on unlicensed and potentially overlapping, bands with interference risks.

Patrick Johansson, Senior Vice President and Head of Ericsson Europe, Middle East and Africa, says: “The Italian Navy is seeking the best possible connectivity solutions for its related needs, and we are proud to work with them towards that goal. Italy’s central Mediterranean location, with an exclusive economic zone spanning more than 500,000 Sq Km of sea, means the Italian Navy plays a strategically important role in Europe.”

Freddie Södergren, Head of Mission Critical Networks, Ericsson, says: “This successful trial with Leonardo and the Italian Navy represents a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to advancing defense capabilities through 5G technology. As an integral part of Ericsson’s defense portfolio, our 5G platform is designed to meet the rigorous demands of the sector. This collaboration not only demonstrates the versatility of dual-use 5G in critical operations, but also highlights how enhanced connectivity at sea can significantly strengthen naval communications and operational effectiveness.”

The same Italian Navy experimentation – officially called the Italian Navy open-sea Operational Experimentation (OPEX Task 2-25), within the framework of the Multi-Domain Operational Experimentation Committee – included several other ecosystem partners testing at sea capabilities.

Ericsson also collaborated with the Italian Navy as part of 2024 NATO trials, when an end-to-end 5G SA network was installed in the Italian Naval base at Taranto.