JTRS Radio to Receive Advanced Satellite Waveform
AN/PRC-148 Handheld Radio Adds Integrated Waveform
25 February 2008
Thales Communications, Inc., announces a contract award from the U.S. Government to upgrade its AN/PRC-148 Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Enhanced Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR), or JEM, to incorporate the UHF SATCOM Integrated Waveform (IW) as defined by MIL-STD-188-181C, 188-182B, and 188-183B.
Thales' AN/PRC-148 JEM, which currently provides beyond line of sight (BLOS) communication in dedicated modes, will now be upgraded for compliance with the U.S. military standards that define the technical characteristics essential for interoperability and performance within UHF satellite communications (SATCOM) channels. This integrated capability will eliminate the need for warfighters to carry their existing heavy, manpack tactical radio systems and enable each member of the team to deploy with a fully-interoperable BLOS capability.
"This new capability is consistent with the evolution of the tactical radio," said Walt Hepker, vice president of business development for Thales Communications. "Thales is continuing with its successful history of being able to perform the functions of a heavy, expensive, manpack radio with a light, less costly, handheld radio."
The AN/PRC-148 JEM, an evolution of the battle-proven AN/PRC-148 MBITR, is the smallest, lightest, and most widely-fielded tactical handheld radio covering the 30-512 MHz frequency range. It is a Software Communications Architecture-compliant platform that hosts all of today's key waveforms. Further, the AN/PRC-148's programmable cryptography supports the requirements of the National Security Agency's crypto modernization program and is certified to protect the confidentiality of voice and data up through the Top Secret level. The only JTRS handheld radio to be designed, developed, and manufactured under a U.S. Department of Defense program of record, the AN/PRC-148 JEM has been tested, evaluated, and validated by the U.S. Government. There are more than 100,000 AN/PRC-148 handheld radios fielded.
About Thales
Thales Communications, Inc. (www.thalescomminc.com), is a leader in the development of battle-proven, software-defined, radio equipment and solutions. The company provides critical communication capabilities for use in size-, weight-, and power-constrained environments in the Tactical, Homeland Security, and Naval/Maritime domains throughout the globe. A U.S. proxy company (100% American), Thales Communications is part of the Thales Group of companies (www.thalesgroup.com), a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defense, aerospace, and security markets worldwide. The Group's civil and military businesses develop a base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property, and nations. The Group employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with forecast 2007 revenues in excess of $15.8 billion.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
