Army unit to use tactical smartphones on frontline

The 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron tested the new equipment in the jungles of Belize

An Army brigade has said it will receive state-of-the-art communications equipment to give it the edge on the battlefield.

The new system for the 16 Air Assault Brigade, based in Colchester, will allow troops to talk and share information with a commander thousands of miles away.

The kit uses MPU5 radios connected with smartphones which can send messages, video images and pinpoint enemy positions on a map.

Soldiers from the unit have tested the system in the jungle in Belize and the brigade is due to receive the system early in 2026.

The 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron - part of the Colchester unit which tested the system - said the jungle in Belize offered a demanding environment for using electronic equipment.

The system's network has a so-called "self-healing" ability to stay online if communication links are disrupted.

The Army said the technology would lead to improved understanding, quicker decision making and better planning.

Maj Ben Salero, officer commanding 216 (Para) Sig Sqn, said the new equipment meant soldiers could carry less kit.

"It will make the brigade more lethal by improving situational awareness," he said.

"We've been working with the radios to understand how to use them to best suit our needs, and testing kit in the jungle will give us confidence that it will work wherever we want to use it."

The new smartphones allow for updates to be shared with commanders thousands of miles away

Cpl Harry Umpleby, an information systems engineer, said that to operate in the jungle "you need to very quickly accept being uncomfortable, and just get on with it".

"When you're under the jungle canopy, it's a different world," he said.

"Visibility and movement are restricted by all the trees and it's hot and wet, with all sorts of wildlife.

"You've really got to be on top of looking after yourself and your kit, and it's an experience that I've learnt a lot from."