Challenge: Radio Transmissions Are Putting Troops in Danger
In modern conflicts, like the ongoing fight in Ukraine, the battlefield is unforgiving to anything emitting an RF signature. Troops who transmit voice or data from a handheld radio are being instantly triangulated, tracked, and eliminated by enemy drones or forces. The moment a radio is keyed up, that location is marked—and often destroyed—within seconds. Soldiers needing to request medevac, call for fire support, or report ammo status are being forced into the open, and paying for it with their lives.
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening now in battles across the world. REDCOM is here to help.
The Ant Hill Tactic
“Antenna Hill”, often referred to as “Ant Hill,” is a tactic that sees warfighters briefly exposing themselves just long enough to communicate before being targeted. As technology advances, the tactic has transitioned to using remoting technologies with the comms equipment on “antenna hill” with a soldier near by to guard the radios. The urgency to find a solution that protects human life is critical. REDCOM Sigma can help solve this issue by detaching the operator from the equipment while simultaneously enhancing communication interoperability.
Solution: Let the XRI or Your Radios Be the Target—Not the Warfighter
There are two options in which the REDCOM’s XRI can enhance the “Ant Hill” tactic. Both options aim to protect the warfighters by conducting transmissions while protected from a distance.
Option 1: Pairing the XRI in the Ops Center with Remote Capabilities
REDCOM Sigma takes remoting capabilities to the next level by enhancing interoperability with different endpoints. Fiber lines running from a remote in the command center terminate to the other end of the remote on Ant Hill. Add in the REDCOM Sigma XRI and teams can now bridge radio nets, satellite comms, LTE networks, and IP in any form.
Option 2: Placing the XRI on Antenna Hill
If the unit doesn’t have remote radio capabilities, the XRI can be placed on antenna hill, a fiber switch can be plugged in and run back to the ops center. Rather than forcing a soldier to expose themselves in the open to transmit comms with a radio, a single XRI unit can be used as the decoy. The result is still the same as option one—communication interoperability is improved, and the warfighter is protected.
This small shift can save lives.
Tactical Benefits
Obfuscation and Deception:
By remotely transmitting through a decoy device, enemy targeting efforts are misdirected. The spot of the XRI may be discovered, but the team remains alive and operational.
No Rip & Replace:
With REDCOM’s XRI, units don’t need to modify or replace their existing equipment or radios. The XRI acts as the glue—bridging old equipment and new.
No Emissions from the Ops Center:
The XRI on the “Ant Hill” scenario allows the operations center to conduct missions and stay connected with ethernet, allowing full communication capability without broadcasting any RF signatures.
Supports Remote Head/Faceplate Detachment:
Marines have long used radio faceplate removal for remote operations. REDCOM takes that concept further.
Enhanced Mobility:
The XRI-400 is lightweight, easy to boot up. You don’t need to power it down you can just unplug, take it on the move, and boot it back up in under 2 minutes without losing data.
Easy to Deploy & Learn:
New users can be trained on Sigma in hours or days, not weeks. Confidently implement, operate, and maintain core C2 functions.
Endless Interoperability:
REDCOM Sigma software and the XRI-400 allow seamless communication across RF, SIP, IP, and even ATAK—ensuring voice and data reach the right people, regardless of endpoint.
Outcome: Preserve the Mission. Protect the Warfighter.
In a battlefield where RF transmissions can lead to exposure to the enemy, REDCOM gives commanders a way to stay connected without making their troops a target. The XRI-400 turns a single hilltop into a sacrificial pawn—protecting the force while maintaining comms.
In a world of high-tech threats, it’s not about yelling louder. It’s about being heard without being seen.
