Ericsson Trials Secure 5G Standalone at Sea on Two Navy Ships
Ericsson and Leonardo completed a maritime 5G Standalone trial with the Italian Navy, installing an end-to-end network on the landing ship San Giorgio and combat ship Raimondo Montecuccoli. The test delivered secure, real-time classified and unclassified data—including 12 unmanned system streams—demonstrating spectrum efficiency across Italy’s 500,000 Sq Km economic zone.
1. Trial Overview
Ericsson, Leonardo and the Italian Navy conducted a prolonged day-and-night maritime trial using an end-to-end 5G Standalone system. The amphibious landing ship San Giorgio and the Multi-Purpose Combat Ship Raimondo Montecuccoli exchanged classified and unclassified information securely over the open sea.
2. Technical Implementation
The network incorporated Ericsson Ultra Compact Core, Massive MIMO Radio Access Network and on-board customer premises equipment, combined with Leonardo’s NINE encryption and an AI Brain platform. Twelve unmanned systems streamed video and data through the 5G SA link, validating real-time situational awareness from the Combat Management System.
3. Strategic Implications
The successful demonstration highlights Ericsson’s dual-use 5G capabilities for defense, showcasing optimized spectrum usage versus multiple legacy systems. This milestone could accelerate procurement discussions within naval forces and bolster Ericsson’s position in the mission-critical communications market.