USAF gets satellite suites
The US DoD has awarded a contract to AQYR Technologies to provide Satellite Man-Portable Receive Suites to the USAF and other branches of the US military
The company announced on 28 September that the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity production contract is valued at $100 million. AQYR will provide Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Rucksack Portable Receive Suites (AN/PRS-12) and Suitcase Portable Receive Suites (AN/PRS-11), spares, training, support and engineering services.
Both systems can be deployed and operated by a single user as they are highly-portable, rugged satellite receive suites. The AN/PRS-11 weighs less than 32 pounds while the AN/PRS-12 weighs less than 20 pounds in tactical carry mode.
The contract is a result of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) initially granted by the Air Force Research Laboratories. The initial funding received at the time of contract was $13.95 million.
The Portable Receiver Suites (PRS) supports vital command centre information and data to the in-field Warfighter, substantially improving mission success probabilities and saving lives. It can withstand a wide range of adverse environmental conditions like extreme heat/cold, blowing sand, rain and high humidity.
Owing to AQYR's auto-acquisition capability the satellite acquisition time is around three minutes. The systems provide access to Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) imagery; weather, terrain, geospatial and mapping information; unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) video and imagery; streaming video, web content replication and other large files.
Laura Dion, president, AQYR, said: ‘The award is the culmination of a decade long partnership, working side by side with the Warfighter and the Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Joint Programme Office. It is a SBIR success for all involved.’
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend]()
Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend
Persistent Systems has been cleared by National Security Agency (NSA) to transmit sensitive data on commercial networks. The devices are added to the NSA’s Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) component list which also includes other companies’ products providing the same security.
-
![UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release]()
UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release
The release of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) has been long promised as mid-year. It is possible it could be as early as 2 June although the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to play its cards close to its chest.
-
![Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)]()
Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)
Intelsat outlines how its multi-orbit SATCOM architecture is enhancing connectivity and resilience for special operations forces operating in degraded and contested environments.
-
![US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts]()
US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts
Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) satellites are intended to provide early warning of missile launches from any location worldwide and new ground stations will result in expanded coverage of critical missile warning.
-
![Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces]()
Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
-
![Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)]()
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
