Rapid-Deploy Tactical Mast Systems for UK Defence
Composite telescopic mast solutions engineered for rapid deployment, operational resilience, and mission-critical performance in extreme environments.
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Mastsystem International delivers composite tactical antenna mast systems to MoD’s, NATO forces and defence primes across 50+ countries. Our mechanical telescopic mast technology provides field-proven reliability where other systems fail.
ISO 9001 | ISO 14001 | AQAP 2110 certified | MIL-STD-810 qualified
Mastsystem Int’l Oy
Since our first telescopic mast deliveries in 1984, Mastsystem has been a trusted provider of tactical telescopic mast systems for defence and civil applications worldwide. With nearly 40 years of experience and almost 40,000 mast systems delivered, our products are fielded in more than 50 countries.
In 2005, Mastsystem was acquired by Cobham Plc and operated as Cobham Mast Systems until 2021, when ownership transferred to TransDigm Inc. This marked a return to our original name and a refreshed brand identity.
In 2024, Mastsystem became part of the Swedish Lagercrantz Group AB, further strengthening our position in the European defence technology sector while maintaining our independent operations and engineering excellence in Finland.
As a Finnish company, Mastsystem designs and tests all systems in some of the harshest environments in Europe — from Arctic cold to coastal winds — ensuring uncompromising reliability in extreme conditions. Former Finnish Defence Forces R&D Director captured our design ethos perfectly:
“If it works in Finland, it will work anywhere.”
Throughout our history, our business has been built on trust, reliability, and a consultative approach, ensuring every customer receives a system tailored to their operational requirements. We continue to welcome new partners into the next chapter of our company’s evolution.
Mastsystem Int’l Oy has a long-standing heritage of supplying the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence and security sectors. Our composite masts are specifically engineered to meet the rigorous demands of MIL-STD, ensuring operation in diverse and challenging climates.
Mastsystem designs and produces all systems in-house, ensuring full quality control, traceability, and long-term reliability. All our products are designed to meet your most demanding requirements of transportable communication, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and broadcast systems.
Operational Outcomes
- Zero Auxiliary Power
Manual winch operation ensures deployment in blackout conditions and electromagnetic silence scenarios. - SWaP Optimised
Significant weight reduction versus aluminium, enabled by advanced composite design. - Lifecycle Value
Designed for long service life. The design reduces through-life support burden versus pneumatic alternatives. - Full Service Support
We offer full-scale wind load testing, system maintenance, repair, and user training.
Standards & Compliance
QUALITY ASSURANCE
AQAP 2110:2016
ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 14001:2015 certified
MIL-STD-810 G/H
Certified for shock, vibration, temperature extremes, and salt fog environments.
Key Capabilities
| HEIGHT RANGE | 2m to 50m | |||
| PAYLOAD | 2kg to 600kg | |||
| DEPLOYMENT | 2 – 30 mins | |||
| WIND RATING | 25 m/s (Operational) |
BUYER’S GUIDE
To make your process as clear as possible, we have created a buyer’s guide to help you. You can download it using the form below.
Case studies and articles
Mastsystem in the SARA Project: Cutting-Edge Mast Systems for Defence and Aerospace testing
In Defence and Aerospace testing, accuracy and reliability are key to success. To make sure radar and communication systems work as expected in real-world conditions, advanced technology is essential. A great example of this is the collaboration between Contact Corporation and Mastsystem Int’l Oy.
Read more
Case studies and articles
Saab utilises Mastsystem tripods for state-of-the-art EW system
Tripods are applicable, for example to mountain top link applications as well as deploying a communication system on rooftops in urban areas. This makes tripods an excellent, rapid and user-friendly choice for temporary communication networks in rescue, police, defence, firefighting and temporary lighting applications.
Read more
Case studies and articles
Telescopic Mast Selection Guide
Selection of a telescopic mast is a crucial step in the planning of a new communication system. A well-chosen mast can enhance operational efficiency and safety.
Our sales team outlines here the key criteria for selecting a mast, then standard mast types, and the stages of the sales process, and finally the most common mistake you will want to avoid when buying a mast system. With this, you can be certain that the final solution answers your needs precisely.
Read moreMastsystem Product Family
download our general brochure
Our product range consists of light man-portable masts all the way to heavy-duty systems with superior top load and height capabilities, combined with vehicle mounting kits, antenna pointing devices, and wide range of accessories.
Push-up masts, tripods, and lifting poles:
- TM-Masts (also vehicle and shelter mountable)
- TR-Masts (also vehicle and shelter mountable)
- TRIPODS
- TELESCOPIC LIFTING POLES (TLP)
Winch and belt driven field masts:
- EX-Masts up to 20-metres deployment height (also vehicle and shelter mountable)
- EXL-Masts up to 50-metres deployment height and 150 kg top loads (also vehicle and shelter mountable)
Vehicle/shelter/platform mounted mast systems:
Services
Availability of consumable supplies and spare parts throughout the system life cycle guarantee, that your system functions optimally in all environments.
This is why many of our long-time customers have, and will, rely on Mastsystem to supply their project with fresh supplies even after 20 years of the original project deliveries.
Mast Accessories and Mounting Solutions
Complete your system with original Mastsystem accessories and Ensure seamless compatibility and extreme durability.
Antenna Pointing Devices & Brackets
Manual and electric single rotators, tilters, and double rotators. We also offer customer-specific antenna adapters for precise alignment in demanding tactical conditions.
Vehicle & Shelter Mounting Kits
We design and manufacture mounting kits for all mast types. These solutions enable safe transportation and rapid deployment on vehicles, containers, and shelters.
Consumables & Spare Parts
Ensure the system’s operational lifecycle with original spares. Our range covers everything from guy ropes and stakes to maintenance kits and special tools.
download our 3D models
Test how Mastsystem products fit your plans: Request access to our 3D models via the form below and we’ll provide you a link to 3D downloads page.
Benefits of composite material
Our telescopic masts are always made from either glass or carbon fibre composite material. Tactical masts made from glass fibre or carbon fibre are light, tough and resilient to extreme conditions. These features are critical on the field in situations where there is no time to waste.
Benefits:
Strength-to-Weight Ratio
Fibreglass and carbon composite material advantages deliver equivalent structural performance with weight reduction versus aluminium:
- Reduced operator fatigue during deployment
- Lower vehicle payload burden
- Enhanced fuel economy for mobile platforms
- Composite mast construction provides inherent corrosion resistance.
Corrosion Resistance
Unlike aluminium requiring protective coatings and maintenance, composite telescopic mast construction resists maritime salt spray, industrial exposure, tropical humidity, and desert abrasion. Composite telescopic mast MIL-STD-810 qualification validates performance envelope.
Environmental Tolerance
Composite mast materials maintain structural integrity across military operational temperature range (-40°C to +55°C) without thermal expansion issues affecting aluminium systems.
Strong construction
Mast sections made of glass and carbon composite are light and strong. Great strength to weight ratio makes composite material the best choice for tactical field conditions. Strong and rigid fibre construction also ensures that the mast resists wind deflection better in extreme conditions, resulting in great operational and survival wind ratings.
Flexibility
Flexible design and manufacturing process makes it possible to achieve the demanding specifications and characteristics that tactical mast systems must fulfill.
Read More About Composite Material
Frequently Asked Questions
The choice depends on three main factors: the required deployment height, the vertical top load, and the specific application. For light and rapid deployment, we recommend telescopic Lifting Poles or TM-series Push-Up masts. For heavier loads and more permanent use, TR-series masts or vehicle-mounted EXB and SKYHIGH systems are best suited. Our Buyer’s Guide helps with more detailed selection.
Yes. Mastsystem offers dedicated vehicle-mounted solutions, such as the EXB and SKYHIGH systems, designed to withstand vibration and shocks. Additionally, we provide various mounting kits for our tactical field masts, allowing them to be securely attached to vehicles, shelters, or containers.
Our masts are designed to withstand demanding weather conditions. Wind resistance varies depending on the mast model and the guying system used. When properly guyed, most of our tactical masts can withstand significant wind loads. Exact specifications can be found in each product’s Datasheet.
Rapid deployment is a key feature of our systems. Light tripod and Push-Up masts can be deployed by 1–2 persons in under five minutes. Vehicle-mounted and electric systems are ready for use even faster, often with just the push of a button.
Composite (glass fibre and carbon fibre) offers superior advantages for tactical masts. It is significantly lighter than aluminium, making transport and handling easier. Furthermore, composite is fully corrosion-resistant, it does not rust even in salty marine climates, and retains its properties in extreme temperatures (-55°C to +70°C).
Yes. Our composite structure is extremely tough and durable. It is designed to meet strict military standards (MIL-STD) and withstand field conditions—impacts, sand, dust, and ice—better than many metal alternatives, which are prone to denting and jamming.
Although composite masts are inherently low-maintenance due to corrosion resistance, we recommend regular inspection and cleaning to ensure a long lifecycle, especially after use in sandy or dirty conditions. We provide comprehensive maintenance manuals and training.
Yes. Mastsystem Int’l Oy is committed to supporting its products throughout their entire lifecycle. We offer services even for older mast models to ensure system reliability for decades.
Absolutely. We design and manufacture custom solutions when needed. This can include specific brackets, external cabling, colour options (such as Desert Tan or NATO Green), or integration with specific vehicle platforms and containers.