HENSOLDT and Schwarz Digits form strategic partnership for data-driven defense capabilities

• Schwarz Digits provides the seamless cloud infrastructure for Hensoldt's MDOcore software suite.
• Real-time fusion of sensor data massively accelerates decision-making in complex scenarios.
• A joint prototype is to be presented at ILA 2026. 

Munich/Heilbronn, February 16, 2026 – Sensor manufacturer HENSOLDT and Schwarz Digits, the IT and digital division of Schwarz Group, are entering into a strategic partnership to jointly advance the development of software-defined defense and sovereign, data-driven capabilities for the connected operational environment. The goal of the collaboration is to provide fully integrated, sovereign, and cloud-enabled solutions for Germany and other nations allied with Germany.

Comprehensive protection: From Secret to quantum resistance 

The partnership responds to the urgent need for independent cloud technology and deployable IT architecture for the defense sector. STACKIT, the cloud provider from Schwarz Digits, delivers an end-to-end infrastructure for this purpose: This decouples data processing from stationary data centers and extends it via decentralized nodes to mobile devices directly in the operational area. The architecture is explicitly designed for 'air-gapped' operation - physical isolation from the public Internet - and thus guarantees full data sovereignty and operational capability even in the event of interrupted connectivity.

In addition to the infrastructure, Schwarz Digits brings specialized security capabilities to the partnership. Highly secure communication stacks will enable the exchange of data up to the level Secret (German classified security level). To counter future threats, Schwarz Digits relies on quantum-resistant encryption methods and comprehensive cyber security solutions. This integrated approach seamlessly protects the integrity of sensitive data streams against digital access.

Modular multi-domain operations software suite

HENSOLDT is contributing its complete defense technology portfolio. This includes, in particular, MDOcore (Multi-Domain Operations Core) – an open, modular and cloud-enabled software suite that acts as a universal translator for diverse, distributed data sources, enabling AI-powered data fusion and the integration of capabilities across multiple military domains. Furthermore, HENSOLDT is contributing its product range of radar, optronics, electromagnetic signal surveillance and active and passive sensor systems. This is complemented by distributed data management and interoperability solutions. Additional contributions include simulation and synthetic environments for generating data for general training, artificial intelligence training as well as software testing and validation. Finally, HENSOLDT's comprehensive expertise in integrating mission systems across the land, air, sea, cyber, space and multi-domain operations further enhances the capabilities of the project.

Oliver Dörre, CEO von HENSOLDT, says: “The security policy challenges of our time demand sovereign, high-performance and networked solutions that Europe can provide based on its own technological strength. The partnership with Schwarz Digits combines leading defense electronics with sovereign digital infrastructure. This creates the conditions for the holistic implementation of software-defined defense and provides armed forces with highly effective and scalable capabilities for the networked operational environment.”

Christian Müller, Co-CEO of Schwarz Digits, says: “With Schwarz Digits, we are delivering the digital foundation for a new era of cyber security. We are proving that digital sovereignty offers the necessary speed and security to operate critical systems in a future-proof manner. Our sovereign cloud infrastructure ensures that highly complex software suites like MDOcore can deliver peak performance exactly where they are needed: from the highly secure data center, through public and private cloud, to the tactical edge in mobile deployment.”

Sven Heursch, Chief Digital Officer of HENSOLDT, says: “Software-defined defense requires sovereign data spaces, high-performance sensors, and end-to-end secure processing from the operational area to the cloud. Schwarz Digits and we share the understanding that technological sovereignty and operational effectiveness are inextricably linked. Together, we are creating the foundation for data-driven, resilient defense solutions that meet the demands of modern multi-domain operations.”

The plan for 2026 is to translate this preliminary work into concrete prototypes and joint offerings. This includes a joint prototype that combines the sovereign capabilities of Schwarz Digits with HENSOLDT's sensor technology, integration software, and simulation-based data generation. Furthermore, Schwarz Digits infrastructure will be integrated into a HENSOLDT sensor solution. This solution is scheduled to be presented at the ILA Berlin Air Show in June 2026.