Unique Battle Management Platform

27 August, 2026

Elbit’s 2023 communications shelter project has evolved, based on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, into a semi-autonomous digital battlefield communications and management system

By Roni Lifshitz

Elbit Systems’ Swedish subsidiary, Elbit Systems Sweden AB, unveiled its Tactical High Mobility Shelter (THMS) system at the DALO exhibition in Denmark. The system serves as a mobile battlefield networking platform designed to support dispersed, digitally connected forces. The project has undergone significant changes. In January 2023, Elbit reported that its subsidiary, Elbit Systems Sweden, had been awarded a contract worth approximately $48 million to supply tactical communications shelters to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). However, over the following three years, key lessons from the war in Ukraine began to emerge, prompting a major transformation of the project. The changes were significant enough for Elbit to publish a dedicated blog post titled “From Static Bases to Mobile Networks.”

In the article, Elbit explains that in its updated configuration, the project reflects a broader shift in the way land forces operate: communications systems, sensors and command capabilities must move as quickly as the forces they support.

“The war in Ukraine has reinforced the need for highly mobile and dispersed operations,” explained Christian Tengelin, Director of Business Development at Elbit Systems Sweden. “The modern battlefield requires units to establish connectivity, operate and relocate very quickly. Remaining in one location for too long can rapidly lead to detection and targeting.”

The War in Ukraine Changed the Mission Requirements

Elbit Systems Sweden employs approximately 120 people. Tengelin said that the scope of the THMS program has expanded considerably. The Swedish Ministry of Defence redefined the system’s intended role, and what began as a project to replace an existing capability in the Swedish Armed Forces evolved into a broader change in the way the Swedish military operates dispersed forces.

“In countries with large territories and long borders, the challenge is not simply moving personnel and vehicles from one location to another. Units deployed across wide areas must remain connected to one another and to higher command levels, while retaining the ability to rapidly deploy sensors, communications equipment and other mission systems.”

The new version of THMS was developed and is manufactured in Sweden, based on a European supply chain. It is designed for operational deployment in harsh environments, including extreme weather and Arctic conditions. The system enables military forces to rapidly establish elevated communications and sensing capabilities without relying on fixed infrastructure or static command posts.

It is equipped with a telescopic mast that can reach a height of up to 25 meters and carry mission payloads weighing up to 100 kg. In practice, it now serves as a multi-mission platform supporting the integration of a wide range of payloads and mission capabilities, including tactical communications, electronic warfare (EW) systems, surveillance and observation systems, electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensors, satellite communications (SATCOM), tactical 5G technologies and high-power laser (HPL) capabilities.

The mast can carry a variety of mission-specific payloads, including communications equipment, ISTAR sensors and Counter-UAS systems. The system operates as a fully self-contained unit with an integrated power-generation system, enabling autonomous operation for up to 24 hours without relying on the vehicle carrying it.

The mast’s automatic deployment mechanism and unique automated guy-wire system allow the THMS to be set up in less than five minutes, while reducing the workload on operators in the field. Notably, it can operate in both crewed and remotely operated unmanned configurations.

Elbit said that future development is expected to move toward higher levels of autonomy—meaning the system could eventually evolve into an almost robotic platform. “Future land operations will depend on the ability to connect dispersed forces, sensors and effectors in real time,” said Tobias Wennberg, CEO of Elbit Systems Sweden.

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Posted in: Aerospace & Defense , News

Posted in tags: Elbit

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