GD provides DMR radios to US Navy

11th August 2015 - 10:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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General Dynamics has been awarded a contract worth $29 million to provide 56 AN/USC-61(C) Digital Modular Radios (DMRs) and related equipment to the US Navy, the company announced on 10 August.

The four-channel DMR radios will be able to use the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) waveform, which is used in the US Department of Defense's next-generation narrowband MUOS satellite communications system.

The order is the fifth option in a contract originally awarded to the company in 2010. The four-channel radios are critical elements in the navy's network communications aboard surface ships, submarines and on-shore locations.

General Dynamics announced a software upgrade earlier in 2015 that turns the four channels in existing DMRs into eight virtual channels, expanding high frequency (HF) communications capacity. The software upgrade also retains existing on-board DMRs.

Mike DiBiase, vice president and general manager, C4IRS Technologies, General Dynamics Mission Systems, said: ‘DMR is an extremely versatile radio and we continue to update its capabilities to ensure that navy communications networks have the most advanced and secure technologies.

‘MUOS is an excellent example of an advanced capability that will provide smartphone-like connectivity among military personnel working in some of the toughest, most remote environments.’