Germany is upgrading its Army Combat Training Center so it can support fully digital, modern land warfare training.
The Bundeswehr awarded Rheinmetall a 61-million-euro ($70.4 million) contract to integrate new digital systems into the facility starting in 2025, with full integration expected by early 2028.
Under the “Digitalisation of Land-based Operations” (D-LBO) project, the training center will be modernized by linking it to the battle management system, along with adding a new digital radio system, a 5G broadband network, and communications software for enhanced connectivity.
The upgrade will strengthen and formalize how the Bundeswehr and its NATO partners train and develop leaders, creating a one-of-a-kind environment for multinational interoperability in the Altmark region, located in the country’s Saxony-Anhalt.
Army Modernization
The upgrade includes integrating a new digital radio system into the training facility, along with a major expansion of its current communications network.
All battle management system-provided data will be visible in the center’s command post, improving situational awareness during exercises, while the existing radio infrastructure receives upgrades.
To support this, Rheinmetall will install a 5G-based broadband network and integrate its subsidiary Blackned’s Tactical Core software into the existing communications system.
The center’s software already tracks troop locations and language settings. With the upgrade, it will also ingest digital command data from the Bundeswehr’s Sitaware Frontline and HQ systems. This gives instructors a fuller picture of how units communicated and operated during an exercise, enabling clearer, more detailed evaluations.
In support of this award, the German defense company has also been awarded an up to $3.2-billion contract to supply soldier systems to digitalize the infantry forces in February 2025.
