Harris has been awarded a contract for the delivery of its Falcon III multiband, multi-mission tactical radio systems to the US Air Force (USAF).
The $6.5m order was awarded under the consolidated single-channel handheld radio (CSCHR) contract through the Joint Program Executive Office for the joint tactical radio system (JTRS), and involves the supply of Falcon III AN/PRC-152(C) radios to the air force.
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The radios are will offer line-of-sight communications to USAF’s civil engineering teams for a range of ground-based operations, including fire and emergency management and explosive ordinance disposal.
George Helm, Harris RF Communications Department of Defense business president, said radios addresses current operational requirements for voice and wideband data networking in the battlefield.
"The AN/PRC-152(C) handheld will provide Air Force civil engineers with high-performance voice communication capabilities for a wide range of tactical missions," Helm added.
Rapidly deployable, the Falcon III AN/PRC-152(C) is a single-channel handheld radio designed to address the emerging mission requirements of soldiers by providing secure, real-time information and communication during coordination, combat, and crisis.
The software upgradeable radio offers capabilities, such as SINCGARS interoperability, ultra high-frequency (UHF) ground-to-ground line-of-sight communications, close-air support and programmable encryption.
The NSA Type-1 and Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Software Communications Architecture (SCA)-certified radio usually provides coverage in 30-512 MHz frequency range, but also includes a high band option that further extend coverage to 30-520 MHz and 762-870 MHz.
More than 160,000 radios are used by the US Department of Defense (DoD), many of its allies, and US federal agencies across the globe.
Harris have not provided any details about the number of units to be delivered, or the contract’s schedule.
