Nokia expands defense portfolio with acquisition of Fenix Group

WASHINGTON — Finnish telecommunications company Nokia announced Wednesday the completion of its acquisition of privately-owned Fenix Group, a Virginia-based defense company specializing in tactical communications. 

“Fenix’s expertise in broadband tactical communications perfectly complements our existing offerings, and together we will be even better positioned to deliver high-performance, secure, and reliable solutions to our defense customers, helping them achieve mission-critical objectives,” Mike Loomis, President of Nokia Federal Solutions said in a press release. 

The acquisition allows Nokia, a $22 billion company with nearly 87,000 employees, to continue its expansion into the defense sector. Nokia will be adding two Fenix radios to its portfolio: the Banshee family of systems — man-portable, static or mobile devices the company says has hundreds of end-users — and Talon MANET radios, a cheaper design providing 25Mbps of bandwidth.

“Nokia is now well-positioned to further expand its role as a pivotal technology provider for mission-critical needs,” according to the press release. 

“We are excited to officially join forces with Nokia. By combining our innovative solutions with Nokia’s global reach and resources, we can create even greater value for our customers and make a significant impact on the future of secure military communications,” Dave Peterson, CEO of Fenix Group said in the news release.

The acquisition, first announced at the end of last year, comes after the Defense Innovation Unit selected both companies to provide ad hoc tactical private wireless communication bubbles to warfighters in 2021. Because Nokia is a foreign entity, its acquisition has to be cleared by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).