OKLAHOMA CITY — 14 January 2026 — Skydweller Aero, in partnership with Nokia Federal Solutions and Tangram Flex, has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to demonstrate a rapidly deployable airborne private network — essentially a flying 5G cell tower. The technology could provide flexible communication for military and commercial operations.
The initiative, officially titled “Instantaneous Network Infrastructure: Rapid-Deployment of Airborne Private Network on Uncrewed Perpetual Flight Platform,” leverages Skydweller Aero’s Perpetual Flight® solar-powered aircraft. The platform combines high payload capacity with extreme endurance, enabling a reconfigurable airborne communication hub.
“Skydweller’s autonomous aircraft allows us to rethink how airborne networks are deployed,” said Robert Miller, CEO of Skydweller Aero. “For our customers, this means faster, more flexible connectivity that links manned and unmanned systems seamlessly — all while reducing operational costs and complexity compared with traditional solutions.”
For the demonstration, Skydweller will host Nokia’s 5G network. Scott Ferguson, Chief Revenue Officer, Nokia Federal Solutions, said, “Nokia’s 5G technology was built for dynamic, high-performance operations. Integrating it with Skydweller’s perpetual aircraft enables an entirely new class of airborne network capability that is continuous, flexible, and ready to connect forces faster than ever.”
Tangram Flex’s interoperability software will ensure compatibility with existing and emerging military systems. Caitlin Dohrman, CEO of Tangram Flex, said, “Our software enables the rapid integration of heterogeneous communication and mission systems, so they work together seamlessly, providing flexibility and scalability for a wide range of operations.”
The combined, modular solution will implement open standards, such as OMS and UCI, to demonstrate a software-defined airborne network capable of supporting high-value manned and unmanned platforms, as well as low-cost, attritable assets — essentially making Skydweller a central airborne hub for modern networked operations, including potential integration with the Air Force’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives.
The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded this Direct to Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract, with a performance period from August 2025 to August 2027. Contract value was not disclosed.
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Contact:
Skydweller US
Greg Caires | greg.caires@skydweller.us | 202.870.4658
Nokia Federal
Jacqueline Lampert | media@nokiafederal.com
About Skydweller US
Skydweller Aero Inc. is a pioneering transatlantic aerospace company with a mission of developing and manufacturing a fleet of very large solar powered aircraft capable of achieving perpetual flight with heavy, powerful payloads. Their vision is to build the world’s first commercially viable perpetual flight solar powered aircraft that can carry up to 800lbs of payload, significantly more than any other solar powered aircraft, providing 2kW of power on average, and more than 100kW instantaneous power. The Skydweller Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) has the wingspan greater than a Boeing 747 (236 ft) and weighs about the same as a F-150 pickup truck (under 5000lbs). This capability will support a variety of missions for the US DoD and its allies. Skydweller will complement existing systems by reducing the burden on those high demand assets. Skydweller Aero Inc., primarily backed by venture and private capital, has World and US headquarters in Oklahoma City and European offices headquartered in Spain. www.Skydweller.aero
About Nokia Federal
At Nokia Federal Solutions, we build scalable secure networks for mission success. As the U.S. Government’s trusted partner for 5G mission-ready solutions, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. Our solutions are designed to meet the unique needs of federal government agencies. Through technology leadership and trusted partnerships, Nokia Federal is helping the U.S. Federal Government modernize its IP and optical networks and build 5G private and tactical wireless networks. www.nokia.com/federal-solutions/
About Tangram Flex
Tangram Flex is a purpose-driven software company. We partner with the nation’s leading defense innovators and find new ways to take on some of the toughest challenges in engineering today. Our team of developers, dreamers, and doers believe there is power in the freedom to create. https://tangramflex.com/