New Two-Channel Leader Radio Significantly Improves US Army Battlefield Communications
At Global Forces 2018 in Huntsville, AL/USA, Harris Corporation introduced a new advanced two-channel handheld radio that simultaneously delivers voice and data networking to US Army leaders, significantly improving critical battlefield communications.
The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio is easy to use, lightweight and rugged, and features a flexible software-defined architecture – enabling users to quickly add new waveforms and applications from the battlefield.
The new radio’s superior 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 (with both channels allocated as low and high-band, overlapping UHF and SATCOM availability-it offers flexibility in any combination of SATCOM, VHF/UHF Line-Of-Sight and Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking applications) – and future applications as they become available.
Harris’ Army radio is based on the company’s ground-breaking 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 for soldiers to carry several pieces of equipment, and has a mission module expansion slot for future capabilities.
“The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio’s future-proof 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.”
The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio incorporates fully integrated MUOS-capable hardware, for dismounted SATCOM-On-The-Move with a single whip antenna.
Weighing 2.75lbs (1.13kg), measuring 6x3x2in (15.24×7.62×5.08cm), it supports Narrowband Waveforms (FM/FSK, AM/ASK, SINCGARS, HAVEQUICK I/II; P25), Wideband Waveforms (ANW2 C; SRW, TSM-X), UHF SATCOM Waveforms (HPW, IW future capability software Update: MUOS), and supports Voice (Narrowband analog/PCM AM/FM, CVSD ASK/FSK cipher text, Wideband 2400 bps MELPe, and LPC/2400-MELP – SATCOM [IW]) and Data (Narrowband analog/PCM AM/FM, CVSD ASK/FSK cipher text, Wideband up to 16 Mbps) Modes
Frequency Range: R/T 1 VHF low: 30-88MHz VHF high: 118-174MHz UHF: 225-512MHz MUOS(A) SATCOM: 300-320MHz UL / 360-380MHz DL UHF SATCOM: 291-318.3MHz UL / 243-270MHz DL SBTW / SA: 30-2,600MHz R/T 2 UHF: 225-450MHz L/S-band: 1,300-2,600MHz at Channel Spacing/Bandwidth R/T 1: 5kHz-10MHz R/T 2: 5kHz-40MHz.
