The £86 million Dismounted Data System contract is set to transform how British soldiers receive and share battlefield intelligence, accelerating decision-making and boosting combat effectiveness by 2027….reports Asian Lite News
The UK government has awarded a contract worth up to £86 million to British-based SME BlackTree Technologies to deliver a cutting-edge battlefield communications capability designed to sharpen the British Army’s warfighting edge.
The deal will see the rapid rollout of the Dismounted Data System (DDS), an AI-capable suite of tactical communications equipment that promises to dramatically reduce the time it takes for soldiers to receive reconnaissance and intelligence data. By accelerating the flow of accurate information across the battlefield, commanders will be able to make faster, better-informed decisions — enhancing lethality while reducing the risk of friendly fire incidents.
The DDS comprises a fully integrated set of technologies, including radios, encrypted headsets, display tablets, antennas, batteries, cabling and specialist carrying equipment. Together, they create a unified digital network linking dismounted troops in real time. Soldiers equipped with DDS will gain precise situational awareness, enabling clearer identification of hostile forces and friendly units amid the chaos of combat.
Unlike traditional voice-only communications, the system allows troops to receive either voice, visual data, or a combination of both, depending on operational demands. The visual interface, delivered via ruggedised tablets, enables maps, reconnaissance imagery and targeting information to be shared instantly across units. This flexibility ensures that soldiers can adapt their information feed to suit different battlefield conditions, maximising effectiveness in complex environments.
The technology has already been tested during deployments in Estonia on NATO’s eastern flank. Trials demonstrated that the visual information function significantly reduced distraction caused by battlefield noise, allowing personnel to maintain focus in high-intensity situations. The successful deployment in Estonia paved the way for wider adoption across the Army.
Under the contract structure, an initial £46 million agreement has been signed, with options for a further £40 million. Delivery of the DDS will begin in September, with equipment supplied to the Army in multiple tranches. Full rollout is expected to be completed by 2027.
The initiative aligns closely with the government’s broader defence strategy, which includes the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. Defence expenditure is set to reach 2.6% of GDP from 2027, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to enhanced warfighting readiness while supporting domestic industrial growth.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP said the ability to receive, share and deploy accurate information is central to battlefield advantage. He described the DDS as “state-of-the-art” technology that will make British soldiers more integrated and more lethal, while also demonstrating how defence investment can serve as an engine for economic growth.
The contract will create 12 new skilled jobs in Tewkesbury, Hereford and Birmingham, strengthening the UK defence industrial base. It also reflects the government’s pledge to increase spending with small and medium-sized enterprises. In January, the Ministry of Defence established the Defence Office for Small Business Growth and committed to spending an additional £2.5 billion with UK SMEs by May 2028, raising total annual MOD spending with SMEs to £7.5 billion.
Brigadier Jeremy Sharpe, Head of Tactical Systems within the National Armaments Director Group, said the Army was building on the success of last year’s Estonian deployment and looked forward to expanding the capability across a larger portion of the force. He described DDS as a “game-changing” enhancement to tactical communications.
Neil Clements-Hill, founder and managing director of BlackTree Technologies, said the company was proud to work alongside the Army’s TacSys team in fielding the advanced system. He noted that the technology builds on years of collaboration, from early experimentation under the DSA programme through to Project ASGARD in 2025, culminating now in the delivery of DDS capacity. He added that resilient waveforms embedded within the system ensure reliable communications even in the most demanding operational environments.
The contract also supports the Chief of the General Staff’s ambition to double the British Army’s lethality by 2027. By integrating advanced digital networks at the tactical level, the Army aims to modernise its operational capability and shift decisively towards warfighting readiness under the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review.
As global security challenges intensify, the DDS programme signals a decisive step towards a more digitally integrated and combat-ready British Army — one in which information superiority becomes a decisive force multiplier on tomorrow’s battlefield.
