Interoperability by design: how Thales delivers solutions for deployable networks and defence cloud in coalition

As a trusted partner of NATO, Thales actively participated in CWIX and DIBAX 2025. These events provided Thales with unique opportunities to test its latest innovations and standards within a secure, operational, and multi-domain environment. Through its involvement, Thales demonstrated its commitment to supporting collective defence and interoperability, reinforcing its position as a key contributor to NATO’s technological and operational advancements.

Click below to discover Thales’ main achievements at CWIX and DIBAX 2025

Hosting and processing data for the kill web: how Thales is implementing NATO’s standards for defence cloud

As modern warfare demands seamless collaboration, Thales is at the forefront with its interoperable defence cloud, empowering real-time data sharing and unified command in joint operations. Through NEXIUM Defence Cloud, Thales addresses military forces’ most critical requirements by embedding "interoperability by design“, delivering an open, multi-workload platform that integrates FMN Core Services progressively validated during CWIX and Data-Centric Security (DCS). This ensures fluid, secure information sharing across coalitions, enabling allied forces to operate as a single, cohesive unit, wherever and whenever the mission demands.

Once data are stored and shared across coalitions, they must seamlessly transit through networks, where Thales, through NATO exercises like CWIX, DIBAX and Steadfast COBALT, showcases its cutting-edge communication network solutions to ensure end-to-end connectivity.

Enhancing Military Connectivity: interoperable, resilient and high-speed deployable networks

As allied nations have different networks capabilities, Thales develops the solution DRAKON Interop to ensure NATO interoperability and operational effectiveness. Fully compliant with FMN Spiral 4 and pre-tested with FMN Spiral 5, DRAKON Interop is a system that provides a secured and federated backbone and centralised management that are essential for interoperable coalition networks in demanding operational environments.

Thales’ DRAKON Infra PCN Node is a NATO PCN-compliant Point of Presence solution that extends protected core networks with zero-day deployability and multi-domain interoperability. This scalable and resilient infrastructure enables nations to rapidly deploy secure, interoperable connectivity for coalition and bilateral operations, while abstracting heterogeneous transport networks. Powered by SafeCore virtualization, it ensures secure-by-design multi-domain operations, hosting encryption, routing, and network services in a single, compact, and expendable platform. Validated for FMN Spiral 5, it offers plug-and-play integration, intelligent traffic steering, and a loss-tolerant architecture to maintain service continuity in contested environments. Thales also provides end-to-end network supervision and interconnection point, ensuring seamless operation and management of the deployed infrastructure.

Moreover, as military networks strain under the weight of exponential data growth, traditional bandwidth limits are becoming a critical bottleneck. To address this challenge, Thales offers innovative solutions tested during NATO exercises such as CWIX and DIBAX:

• DRAKON Multiband 5G Dome, a private 5G bubble delivering high-speed connectivity to armed forces while incorporating stealth capabilities to avoid enemy detection;
• DRAKON 5GSat Cameleon Kit, providing commercial 4G/5G and commercial SatCom connectivity;
• DRAKON MeshBeam, a highly flexible radio with multi-band capacities.

Thales as the NATO’s trusted partner for satellite resilience

Ensuring resilient satellite communications is critical for the armed forces, especially in the most demanding and contested environments. To meet this challenge, Thales developed the Modem 21, a cutting-edge solution that enables military forces to maintain vital data exchange capabilities under any tactical conditions, even in the face of enemy jamming attempts.

Combined with Thales Tactical Data Link solutions, Modem 21 also supports resilient transport of Link 16 and Link 22 operational data through JREAP-C protocols, extending tactical coordination and situational awareness well beyond conventional tactical radio coverage.

Since its creation, the Modem 21 has continuously evolved to meet operational needs. Compatible with GEO, MEO, and HEO satellite orbits and adaptable to ground, naval, and airborne stations, it has become a trusted reference for modern military communications.

Fully compliant with NATO STANAG 4606 Edition 4 and integrated into Federated Mission Networking (FMN) Spiral 6, the Modem21 is now recognized as a cornerstone of NATO interoperability, sovereignty, and member state resilience.

Tactical Data Links for coalition superiority

As operations increasingly rely on real-time coordination across multi-domain forces, Thales delivers advanced TDL systems enabling secure, resilient, and interoperable tactical communications for joint operations. Leveraging Link 16 and Link 22 capabilities, Thales ensures exchange of tactical data across air, land, naval, and joint headquarters. Through lightweight and rapidly deployable Roll-on Roll-off solutions, Thales enables forward-deployed command posts and tactical headquarters to access common operational pictures and tactical data services even in constrained or highly mobile environments.