Military 5G deployments offer enterprise leaders a practical blueprint for building resilient private networks in demanding commercial environments.
Deploying private cellular networks in industrial settings can deliver real business value, yet integration challenges and cybersecurity risks often slow adoption. High-stakes edge computing environments require continuous communication, strict data sovereignty, and immediate processing. Enterprise leaders can learn from recent multi-domain implementations within the defense sector to understand how these requirements are met in practice.
Telefónica has emerged as a reference point for 5G in NATO after conducting more than 15 field trials focused on military applications. The operator has deployed multi-domain 5G tactical bubbles across land, sea, air, and cyberspace. That experience led to the creation of Europe’s first 5G Cyber Defense Center, developed with the Spanish Ministry of Defence. Technologies validated at this facility will be incorporated into a NATO project at the end of the month.
The architecture of these tactical bubbles provides a template for isolated, highly secure corporate networks. The Madrid-based center, built in collaboration with the Armed Forces Joint Cyberspace Command (MCCE), is integrated with the NATO Digital Foundry. This Alliance initiative supplies data infrastructure, testing environments, and tools needed to evaluate emerging technologies and define new standards. The Foundry validates defence industry solutions using NATO’s own data to encourage wider adoption within military contexts.
These facilities model a proactive approach to device and asset management. Systems secure communications between radars, drones, weapons systems, barracks, and personnel—paralleling the complex IoT ecosystems found in modern manufacturing and logistics hubs, where machines and mobile workers must interact reliably. The center develops operational use cases to highlight 5G’s strengths and reveal areas that need improvement in highly demanding settings. It also houses research, development, and training activities for Armed Forces staff.
Javier López Gutiérrez, Director of Defense and Security at Telefónica Spain, said that by 2026 the company has consolidated efforts begun in 2022 to position itself as a benchmark in 5G for security and defence across Spain, the EU, and NATO.
He added that the 5G development and testing center, designed for an organisation the size of the Atlantic Alliance, helps the armed forces not only foster hyperconnectivity but also advance enabling technologies such as AI, edge computing, and quantum computing for operational benefit.
These initiatives reinforce Telefónica’s standing as a leader in next-generation communications, combining innovation, operational capability, and practical experience in mission-critical environments.
How military 5G private networks detect edge threats
The center evaluates AI tools to detect and prevent cyberattacks in advanced configurations, specifically within 5G tactical bubbles made up of multiple nodes.
The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) selected the 5G Cyber Defense Center for its NATO Digital Foundry programme, an open and secure innovation platform that lets member countries develop, test, and scale emerging technologies.
Teams can examine how these isolated networks operate across diverse physical domains. Spain’s first airborne 5G bubble was recently installed on a military aircraft at Albacete Air Base, creating the Air and Space Force’s first airborne 5G system and complementing earlier deployments at sea, on land, and in space.
Maintaining connectivity for fast-moving mobile assets is also a challenge for transport and logistics businesses. The BACSI project—an initiative to modernize aerodromes through disruptive infrastructure to boost efficiency, sustainability, and security—helped develop this aerial use case.
The 5G tactical bubble was loaded onto an Airbus transport aircraft and integrated with the plane’s communications suite and three land-based 5G systems. Personnel performed Voice Over New Radio (VoNR) and video calls to validate interoperability and secure communications, even transmitting real-time video between two participating aircraft.
The same framework applies to remote offshore operations such as deep-sea oil platforms or international shipping fleets. Telefónica ran a pilot mission at the end of 2025 on an Alliance ship under NATO Maritime Command.
Over four months, the operator deployed a 5G node aboard the ship to link it with the fleet, including unmanned units. That setup delivered secure, ultra-low-latency communications across naval units without relying on public networks or satellite links.
Other implementations include integrating 5G into combat vehicles and connecting these tactical bubbles with government satellite communications and public networks. During the NATO DiBaX exercise, multi-domain operations were enabled as NATO acted as a 5G services provider across member countries.
Wholesale carriers and TowerCos are evolving from basic infrastructure providers to active orchestrators of intelligent platforms. Enterprise leaders can better plan private network rollouts by studying these military multi-domain 5G implementations.
Translating these military-grade solutions to commercial settings requires avoiding vendor lock-in, investing in cross-team technical training, and prioritizing AI-driven security at the network edge.
See also: Cloud RAN trials have shown AI can improve network efficiency.
Interested in learning about IoT from industry leaders? The IoT Tech Expo takes place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The event is part of TechEx and is co-located with related technology expos including AI & Big Data Expo and the Cyber Security Expo.
Telecoms coverage is produced by TechForge Media, which also organises enterprise technology events and webinars.