Miles Jamison 
- The research agreement focuses on keeping autonomous systems connected to Army command-and-control networks
- Marconi will combine its Orion, Hunter and Archer technologies under the agreement
- Testing will cover robotic control, sensor data transfers and command and control
Marconi Technologies is working with the U.S. Army to develop an adaptable communications architecture for autonomous systems and command-and-control networks.
As the Army explores adaptable communications for autonomous systems, the Potomac Officers Club’s 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4 will examine technologies shaping future warfare. Save your seat today.
The company announced on LinkedIn Tuesday that it signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center, or C5ISR Center, under the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command.
What Technologies Will the Army and Marconi Integrate?
Under the agreement, Marconi and the DEVCOM C5ISR Center aim to develop a modular architecture that combines radio, satellite communications, cellular links and troposcatter, allowing the system to switch between available communications paths as conditions change. The effort is intended to enable mission-specific equipment configurations through software updates or minor hardware additions, rather than requiring a separate system for each task.
The research will draw on three Marconi technology lines: Orion software-defined radios, Hunter multi-orbit satellite communications apertures and Archer modular troposcatter technology. Testing will examine the architecture’s ability to support low-latency robotic control, high-capacity sensor data transfers and resilient command-and-control communications.
How Does the Effort Reflect Marconi’s Transport Diversity Approach?
Clif Basnight, Marconi’s vice president of mission technology, described the multi-link concept as transport diversity in a July 2025 Executive Spotlight interview with ExecutiveBiz. At the time, he was VP of strategic technologies at Ultra Intelligence & Communications, whose tactical communications division became Marconi in May. He said the approach gives warfighters multiple options to transmit data and depends on switching between technologies on the same platform or through modular adaptations.
Basnight has spoken at the Potomac Officers Club’s Army Summit each year since 2023, most recently as a panelist on hyperconnected battlefield technologies.
What Other Military Radio Contracts Has Marconi Secured?
The Army research follows Marconi’s work to supply tactical radios to U.S. military customers. On Oct. 9, the company announced an initial contract from U.S. Special Operations Command for its Orion X604 tactical radios, which are designed to support robotic control and sensor data transfers in environments affected by electronic warfare.
In June, Marconi and Polish defense integrator Enamor International were selected to supply Orion X650 tactical radios to Poland’s military under the European Union’s Security Action for Europe instrument. The multiyear deliveries are scheduled to begin later in 2026.
