UK Connect Defence launches 5G satellite broadband kit

UK Connect Defence has launched the Rapid Broadband Kit, a UK-made deployable connectivity product that combines 5G and Low Earth Orbit satellite links in a single system.

The launch is the first product release from UK Connect's newly established defence division, which is targeting defence support, humanitarian and other remote operations.

The Rapid Broadband Kit, or RBK, is designed for use where fixed communications infrastructure is unavailable, delayed or unreliable. It can be set up without external antennas, supporting infrastructure or specialist technical expertise.

According to UK Connect Defence, users can establish broadband communications through a single rugged unit. The product is intended for non-tactical roles, including deployed headquarters, operational welfare, training estates, logistics supply chain hubs, exercises and infrastructure projects.

The system supports up to 100 users and offers both 5G and Low Earth Orbit satellite services, giving operators alternative connectivity routes as conditions change.

It can run on battery power for up to 45 hours in 5G mode, with several charging options for sites where power is limited. The product is also backed by a UK-based National Operations Centre that monitors connection performance around the clock.

Remote demand

The launch comes as defence support operations increasingly rely on temporary and remote locations, where communications links are needed for coordination, welfare and access to systems. In those settings, conventional connectivity equipment can be difficult to move, slower to install and harder to use when requirements change quickly.

UK Connect Defence said it developed the RBK in response to that gap. The product draws on the wider group's work providing connectivity to temporary and remote sites across the UK for more than a decade.

The business describes itself as a defence-facing unit focused on turning operational requirements into deployable communications products. Its parent company supports thousands of temporary and remote sites each year where traditional infrastructure is unavailable or impractical.

Founder quote

PJ Farr outlined the rationale for the launch.

"Communications are increasingly critical to logistics, defence welfare and support functions, yet these activities are often operating with poor or unreliable connectivity. The Rapid Broadband Kit provides a simple and resilient way to connect people, systems and services wherever they are needed. It helps organisations become operational faster and remain connected for longer by providing immediate access to multiple communications networks, including 5G and satellite services, at the touch of a button. We developed the RBK because organisations should not have to choose between speed, simplicity and resilience. They need connectivity that works immediately, wherever the mission takes them," said PJ Farr, Founder, UK Connect Defence.

UK Connect Defence has positioned the RBK for operations that need broadband access within minutes and without additional site infrastructure. That places it in a part of the market shaped by military support needs as well as civil contingency, infrastructure and humanitarian use cases.

For defence organisations, the focus is on support and welfare functions rather than tactical battlefield communications. The product's specification points to uses where teams need internet access for administration, planning, logistics coordination and contact services in areas with limited existing coverage.

By combining terrestrial mobile connectivity with satellite access, the system is intended to provide continuity when one network route is unavailable or weaker than expected. Its ruggedised design also reflects the need for transportable equipment that can be deployed repeatedly in demanding environments.

The RBK is manufactured in the UK, giving UK Connect Defence a domestically produced product at a time when supply chain resilience and sovereign industrial capacity remain live issues across the defence sector.