Germany is modernizing its Army Combat Training Center to prepare its forces for fully digital, next-generation land warfare. As part of this effort, the Bundeswehr has awarded Rheinmetall a 61-million-euro (approximately $70.4 million) contract to begin integrating advanced digital systems into the facility in 2025, with full completion targeted for early 2028. The project falls under the broader “Digitalisation of Land-based Operations” (D-LBO) initiative, which aims to upgrade the training environment with a direct link to the Bundeswehr’s battle management system. Enhancements include a new digital radio network, a 5G broadband architecture, and improved communications software to expand connectivity across training operations. The modernization will enhance how Germany and its NATO partners conduct joint training, offering a unique cross-national environment for leadership development and interoperability in the Altmark region of Saxony-Anhalt. The upgrade introduces a digital radio system and significantly expands the center’s existing communications backbone. All data from the battle management system will be accessible in the training center’s command post, providing improved situational awareness and oversight during exercises. To support this, Rheinmetall will deploy a 5G-enabled broadband network and integrate Tactical Core—developed by its subsidiary Blackned—into the current communications suite. The software platform already tracks troop positions and language settings. After the upgrade, it will also receive digital command-and-control data from the Bundeswehr’s Sitaware Frontline and Sitaware HQ systems. This will give instructors a more complete view of unit coordination, communication flow, and decision-making during exercises, enabling more precise and detailed post-exercise evaluations. In parallel with this project, Rheinmetall has also secured a contract worth up to $3.2 billion to deliver soldier systems beginning in February 2025, further advancing the digitalization of Germany’s infantry forces.
