Airspan extends 5G in motion to defense aerial networks

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 11, 2026
Airspan Networks Holdings LLC has expanded its In-Motion 5G platform from commercial air to ground deployments into defense-grade mobile ad hoc networks, high-altitude pseudo-satellite systems, and uncrewed aerial platforms.

The company is advancing a 3GPP-based Integrated Access and Backhaul architecture that operates efficiently between terrestrial infrastructure and satellite networks, creating a resilient communications layer linking ground and airborne assets.

Following successful airborne deployments in the US and a recent contract in Japan, Airspan is positioning its In-Motion solution to support high-mobility, high-altitude, and contested environments where persistent, wide-area connectivity is critical.

"Airspan has proven that advanced 5G can operate reliably in demanding airborne environments," said Paul Senior, CTO at Airspan. "We are now extending our In-Motion platform to high-altitude systems (HAPS), uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), and mission-critical mobility platforms - including drones - helping establish a resilient communications layer in the sky."

The platform features ultra-low size, weight, and power characteristics that support sustained airborne and stratospheric operations, while enabling advanced beamforming, multi-link connectivity, and inter-platform mesh networking across air and ground domains.

Airspan's architecture is designed to deliver high-availability feeder, backhaul, and command-and-control links, as well as direct-to-device broadband access and seamless integration with low Earth orbit satellite systems to maintain connectivity over large areas.

The In-Motion 5G solution is being extended to multi-domain mobility use cases, including beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone missions, airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, sensor data backhaul, mobile command and control, and rapidly deployable tactical infrastructure.

Its self-forming, multi-hop mesh design allows nodes to discover each other dynamically, route traffic locally, and preserve service continuity when fixed core networks are degraded or unavailable, reducing reliance on centralized infrastructure and speeding "arrival-to-connectivity" in the field.

To maintain performance in complex and contested spectrum environments, the platform incorporates advanced adaptive beamforming for directional signal control and interference mitigation, autonomous spectrum management to optimize frequency use, and interference-aware techniques for crowded RF conditions.

AI-assisted RF optimization is used to continuously improve link reliability and overall network performance, adapting to changing operational scenarios and helping ensure robust connectivity for defense and high-altitude applications.

These enhanced aerial connectivity capabilities build on Airspan's operational airborne 5G systems that have already been validated in live service environments, supporting both commercial and defense users.

With this expansion of its In-Motion portfolio, Airspan reinforces its position in high-performance Open RAN and mobile 5G innovation, extending network capabilities beyond traditional terrestrial infrastructure to support secure, mission-ready connectivity across air, land, and autonomous platforms.

Airspan plans to showcase its latest air-to-ground, digital distributed antenna systems, Open RAN products, and 5G solutions at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, highlighting how its technologies can support both commercial and government operators deploying advanced wireless networks.