TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION
V ADVERTORIALS
UK Connect Defence launches Rapid Broadband Kit for operations where connectivity cannot wait
UK Connect Defence, the newly established defence division of UK Connect, is launching its first UK-manufactured deployable con- nectivity product, the Rapid Broadband Kit (RBK).
The RBK combines enterprise-grade 5G and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity in a single ruggedised unit. With no external antennas, supporting infrastructure or specialist technical expertise required, users can establish broadband communications at the touch of a button. The capability will be showcased at an invita- tion-only launch event at Kachette, Shoreditch, London, today (14 October).
Defence support operations are increasingly being conducted from temporary, remote and infrastructure-limited locations where reliable communications are essential. Yet traditional connectivity solutions can be difficult to transport, slow to deploy and imprac- tical in rapidly changing operational environments. To address this challenge, the RBK combines enterprise-grade 5G and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity in a single ruggedised unit.
Designed and manufactured in the UK, the RBK has been developed for a variety of demanding non-tactical roles, from deployed head- quarters, operational welfare, to training estate demands, logistics supply chain hubs, exercises or infrastructure projects globally. By clearly targeting these environments, UK Connect Defence aims to address a common challenge faced by support and operational teams: obtaining dependable connectivity quickly and with min- imal setup.
Supporting up to 100 users, the RBK provides immediate access to broadband services where existing infrastructure is unavailable, delayed or unreliable. Its combination of enterprise grade 5G, and LEO satellite services gives users multiple connectivity options, help- ing maintain communications as conditions change. Built-in bat- tery power provides operation for up to 45 hours in 5G mode, while multiple charging options allow continued use in environments where power is limited or unavailable. The RBK is supported 24/7 by a UK based National Operations Centre that actively monitors connection performance and proactively resolves any emerging connectivity issues.
PJ Farr, founder of UK Connect Defence, said, “Communications are increasingly critical to logistics, defence welfare and support func- tions, yet these activities are often operating with poor or unreli- able connectivity. The Rapid Broadband Kit provides a simple and resilient way to connect people, systems and services wherever they are needed. It helps organisations become operational faster and remain connected for longer by providing immediate access to multiple communications networks, including 5G and satellite services, at the touch of a button. We developed the RBK because organisations should not have to choose between speed, simpli- city and resilience. They need connectivity that works immediately, wherever the mission takes them.”
UK CONNECT
www.ukconnect.com/sector/defence
SolderKing celebrates eight years of growth
SolderKing is celebrating eight years as a manufacturer of soldering consumables this month. Established in Yorkshire in 2018, the company has grown into a King’s Award winning sup- plier to OEMs, EMS providers and industrial customers across Eur- ope, with a product range covering every stage of the soldering process.
Those eight years have included Brexit, the pandemic and the component shortages that followed, and Chris Ward, chief oper- ating officer at SolderKing, says the disruption has had a lasting effect on what customers expect from a consumables supplier.
“Before 2020, most of the conversations we had were about price and specification. Since then, customers want to know where a product is made, what stock we hold and how quickly we can re- spond if something changes on their line. Manufacturing in the UK means we can answer those questions directly. But none of that matters if the product is not consistent. Quality is what customers come to us for in the first place and it is what keeps them with us.”
All SolderKing products are manufactured and tested in-house under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system, which allows the company to maintain availability, control quality at every stage and adapt products or packaging where a cus- tomer’s process requires it. Full compliance documentation for RoHS, REACH and J-STD flux classification is provided as standard, a requirement that has become increasingly important for sup- pliers to automotive, defence and aerospace programmes. The company is a member of Made in Britain and holds a Bronze Eco- Vadis sustainability rating, reflecting its commitment to respon- sible manufacturing.
That consistency has underpinned steady growth. The range now runs to twelve product categories, from solder alloys, cored wires and pastes through to specialist fluxes for cable and coil, stain- less steel and industrial applications, together with stencil clean- ers, circuit cleaners and solder masking for assembly, rework and repair. Demand for those products led the company to double the size of its Bridlington facility in 2025, giving it the manufactur- ing and stock capacity to support customers as it enters its ninth year.
“When we started in 2018 we set out to be a manufacturer that customers could actually talk to, one that makes the product, understands the process and can help solve problems on the line, and that has not changed,” said Chris. “What has changed is the scale. The range is bigger, the customer base is wider and we now have the capacity to develop new products and support more customers than at any point in our history. That is where our focus goes next. None of it would have happened without the customers, distributors and partners who have backed us since 2018, or the team here who make the product day in, day out. Thank you to all of them.”
SOLDERKING
www.solderking.com OCTOBER 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS 37
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