US military receives Harris army radios

A two-channel handheld radio that improves army battlefield communications has been introduced by Harris Corporation.

The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio simultaneously delivers voice and data networking to US Army leaders, extending the reach of real-time information.

This technology is lightweight and rugged, and features a flexible software-defined architecture — enabling users to quickly add new waveforms and applications from the battlefield.

The radio’s crossbanding technology allows users to send information up and down the chain of command, as well as across the battlefield network backbone, while connecting to computing devices, including Android smartphones. It can simultaneously transmit information through combinations of legacy SATCOM, VHF/UHF line-of-sight and mobile ad hoc networking applications.

Harris’s army radio is based on the company’s AN/PRC-163 radio for the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). It features SWAP-C optimisation that meets multiple mission needs, while reducing the need to carry several pieces of equipment, and has a mission module expansion slot for future capabilities.

“The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio’s futureproof design and software-defined architecture provides superior capabilities today and enables fast field upgrades for emerging capabilities,” said Chris Young, president, Harris Communication Systems.

“That upgradeability, coupled with ease of use and interoperability, makes it a clear choice for the army’s network modernisation.”

Harris has been an army mission partner for nearly 60 years, providing technologies that enable the connected battlefield. The company has delivered more than one million tactical radios to warfighters around the globe and participates in all major US tactical radio modernisation initiatives — including the Army’s HMS (Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit) and Rifleman (Leader Radio) programs.

Image courtesy of Harris Corporation.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook