Rolatube Rapid Erect 15m 15-Meter Deployable Mast 4-Minute Rapid Erection for ISR Antennas and Sensors

The Rolatube Rapid Erect 15m is the deployable mast designed for ISR and communications missions where antenna height determines the radio horizon and tactical network area coverage — at 15 meters height, the radio horizon on flat terrain extends to 14 km for UHF and 21 km for VHF under standard conditions — and where deployment speed at the observation post is as critical as final height, because each minute of pause in a contact zone increases the team's exposure to enemy identification and fire.

The pneumatic erection system operates with the standard tire compressor of any tactical vehicle (or with the emergency hand pump included in the kit) without external CO₂ bottle, electric compressor, or tools: the operator connects the air hose to the base feed port, manually extends the first 3 sections to stabilize erection direction, and the system fills the central pressurized column that pushes the telescopic sections upward in locking sequence until reaching 15 meters with automatic locking of each section. Erection time from vehicle stopped to mast in operational position is 4 minutes with a 2-operator team.

Carbon fiber/epoxy tube construction with GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) core provides a superior weight-to-stiffness ratio compared to aluminum masts of the same height: the Rapid Erect 15m weighs 18 kg complete (mast + base + anchor kit) versus 34 kg for an equivalent aluminum telescopic mast, reducing the ISR team's load when the mast is transported disassembled in the advance vehicle. The 12 kg head payload allows simultaneously installing a 3 kg VHF/UHF discone antenna, a 4 kg PTZ surveillance sensor, and a 5 kg radio repeater without exceeding the structural limit.