Radios Will Equip Pilot Phase Vehicles for VCR 8×8 Programme
Bittium announced on 27 September that the Spanish Army has ordered its TOUGH software defined radio (SDR) vehicular radios – together with the ESSOR high data rate waveform (HDR WF) to equip the pilot vehicles of the VCR 8×8 combat vehicle programme.
Bittium TOUGH SDR vehicular radios will be delivered to the temporary joint venture UTE 8×8 (Unión Temporal de Empresas), formed by the Spanish companies General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Indra and SAPA. A separate procurement decision will be made for the supply of vehicular radios to the follow-on production phase.
Bittium’s vehicular radios will be delivered as part of the tactical communications system for the pilot vehicles, to demonstrate the capabilities and performance of the system. The tactical communications system of the VCR 8×8 will create a high-quality tactical network for user command and control requirements.
“The Spanish Army’s VCR 8×8 vehicle programme is the first foreign customer for the Bittium TOUGH SDR vehicular radio and therefore an important milestone in Bittium’s internationalisation efforts and in selling the new tactical Bittium TOUGH SDR radios abroad. The new radios will also include the ESSOR HDR Waveform, which will significantly improve the performance of the combat troops,” commented Bittium Senior Vice President of Defence and Security, Jari Sankala.
The two-channel Bittium TOUGH SDR vehicular radio can select and use the best performing waveform taking conditions and the mission into account – including the Bittium TAC WIN Waveform, ESSOR HDR Waveform and Bittium Narrowband Waveform. The uniquely wide range of frequency bands in the radio operates improves combat survivability. Using several waveforms, even simultaneously, improves compatibility and enables flexible operations.