NATO to conduct Digital Backbone Experiment in Latvia
NATO will hold a Digital Backbone Experiment (DiBaX) in the 5G test site at Ādaži military base, Latvia, at the end of October 2024. Rapidly developing technologies have the potential to support interoperability and operational effectiveness for NATO military. New technologies like 5G mobile fifth-generation mobile telecommunications and low-earth orbit satellites will be tested to determine the degree to which they may support multi-domain operations (MDO), where seamless interconnectivity of forces operating across land, maritime, air, space, and cyber domains is paramount.
The Digital Backbone is a critical component of NATO’s infrastructure, providing connectivity for complex operations. The DiBaX will showcase the latest advancements in technology and explore how they can be integrated into real-world environments to enhance interoperability and effectiveness among allied forces.
“In areas where there are battle groups in various countries, including Latvia, interoperability would be a key enabler in terms of bringing in forces and having those forces work together effectively. We look forward to working with the Latvian Ministry of Defence, the Latvian National Armed Forces, other nations, and the test bed provider LMT,” notes Warren Low at NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT)
During the experiment's first planning session in June 2024, the NATO DiBaX team developed several action scenarios alongside technical configurations. During the experiment’s September integration session, HQ SACT, the Latvian Ministry of Defence, nations, industry further designed the experiment configuration and created physical connections for the experiment. The September integration session will be hosted by LMT as the Test Bed Provider.
“This year's focus on multi-domain operations means greater involvement of different assets—from different domain assets to unmanned systems and various communication technologies. Tremendous work has to be done to bring it all together and successfully execute the experiment in October,” says Kaspars Pollaks, Head of Business Defence, LMT
For the third consecutive year, NATO will conduct its next-gen technology experiment in Latvia – this year, with a strategic focus on MDO operations and aligning with the Digital Backbone. Latvia's advanced 5G test environment provides an ideal platform for such experiments. No less important is the country's commitment to strengthening its defence capabilities, which aligns with NATO’s objectives as Europe faces unprecedented security challenges.
“Latvia has already demonstrated its high-end capabilities in the 5G technologies, including within multinational projects and with international partners by providing a platform for the testing and experimentation. This particular event demonstrates our close partnership with NATO and our allies, but also the importance of industry and high-end technology companies. This facilitates development of the National Armed Forces capabilities which are needed for mitigating current security and defence challenges,” underlines Latvia’s Defence Minister Andris Sprūds.
DiBaX is Led by NATO HQ SACT and the Latvian Ministry of Defense, and the Latvian National Armed Forces. LMT is the integrator of the event providing the state-of-the-art 5G Test Site.
Media contacts:
MoD Military Public Affairs Department
Media Relations Section
Phone: 67335045
E-mail: prese@mod.gov.lv
