Boeing has been awarded contracts for the delivery of additional combat survivor evader locator (CSEL) radios to the US Air Force (USAF).
Valued at a combined $9.7m, the contracts cover delivery of 336 additional CSEL radios and upgrade of the system’s global base station network.
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By GlobalDataBoeing CSEL programme manager Steve Capps said: "CSEL radios save lives, so we are honoured to support the US military with this continued production."
The new radios to be supplied under the contracts will be the latest configuration, featuring non-GPS beacon and secure texting capabilities.
The base station upgrades are expected to modernise the radio’s hardware and software to improve communication speeds and provide greater network and information protection.
Dubbed the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Program of Record for Joint Search and Rescue, the CSEL is a fully qualified, next-generation survival radio system designed to support survival, evasion and isolation of downed pilots and other warfighters in danger.
Comprising hand-held radios, over-the-horizon satellite relays and four global base stations, the multi-function system simplifies rescue operations by delivering accurate geo-positioning information and secure line-of-sight, two-way data communications capabilities to the joint personnel recovery centres and recovery forces.
To date, Boeing has delivered more than 54,600 hand-held radios to four branches of the US DoD, including the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy, and is also under contract to supply more than 2,550 systems in the future.
Operated and managed by the Joint Program Office for Personnel Recovery at the Electronic Systems Center, the radios are also available to other US Government service branches through the General Services Administration.
Image: USAF uses CSEL communication system to aid the rescue of downed pilots and other warfighters in danger. Photo: courtesy photo.
