Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active 5 Tactical Edition enhances military operations

Samsung has been delivering “tactical edition” variants of some devices to the US military for several years now. We've seen a Galaxy S20 Tactical Edition, Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition and even a XCover 6 Pro Tactical Edition.

The company today unveiled the Galaxy Tab Active 5 Tactical Edition. Samsung describes it as its first ever “mission-ready tablet” that enhances situational awareness during military operations.

Tactical Edition devices are essentially off-the-shelf commercial devices that you and I can buy off the shelf, but reinforced with highly customized software and additional features to support military personnel during their operations.

The Galaxy Tab Active 5 Tactical Edition features military-grade security and is compatible with a diverse range of mission-ready software applications used by the special operations teams. This is the result of Samsung's ongoing collaboration with the US Department of Defense, and its Tactical Edition devices are deployed across all branches of the US military.

Some specialized features include tactical radio interoperability, support for drone systems, laser range finders, external GPS, and more. It also supports mission centric software. New hardware enhancements have also been made to ensure safe transmission of classified data.

To ensure security, the tablet even has a Stealth Mode whcih disables LTE and mutes all radio frequency broadcasting. A Covert Lock mode eliminates all RF signature by powering off modems and GPS. A Night Vision mode is included, which allows operators to view the tablet through their night vision optic devices.

Data safety is assured through compliance with rigorous safety regulations, including NSA's Commercial Solutions for Classified Components List, and allows for data up to Top Secret classification to be stored on the device with two layers of encryption, even when the devices are powered off.

Image credit: Samsung