Harris Corporation Demonstrates JTRS Battlefield Networking Technology on Falcon III Manpack Radios

Harris Corporation an international communications and information technology company, has demonstrated the exchange of high-bandwidth voice, video and text over a Falcon III AN/PRC-117G radio network using wideband waveforms developed by the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program.

The demonstration took place at the annual Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Meeting and Exposition Oct. 5-7 in Washington, D.C.

“Our demonstration illustrates the capability of the AN/PRC-117G radio to form robust communication networks that provide interoperability among air, ground and satellite assets. This radio is compliant with the JTRS Software Communications Architecture and adheres to the DoD’s open-standards approach to radio technology,” said Steve Marschilok, President, Department of Defense Business Unit, Harris RF Communications.

Through these networks, which will operate advanced wideband and legacy narrowband waveforms, the AN/PRC-117G connects commanders and their deployed personnel in numerous ways so they can take advantage of critical new applications just now reaching the battlefield.

The demonstrations involved a local area network of AN/PRC-117G radios operating the JTRS Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW), JTRS Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) and the already fielded Harris Advanced Networking Wideband Waveform (ANW2).

During the demonstration, Harris used the waveforms to demonstrate capabilities at various levels of the battlefield. They included transmitting and receiving streaming live
video, chat-room applications and the Tactical Ground Reporting System, or TIGR.

The demonstration was made possible through the JTRS Enterprise Business Model. Harris ported the WNW and SRW waveforms from the JTRS Information Repository into the AN/PRC-117G and developed them into a demonstration state in about five months.

The Falcon III AN/PRC-117G is the first JTRS-approved tactical radio to offer reliable and secure access to high-bandwidth applications in addition to narrowband legacy waveforms. The radio is certified by the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) as compliant with Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) military standards and upgradeable to access the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), both for transmitting high-bandwidth voice and data over tactical military satellites.

The AN/PRC-117G also includes a Remote Operated Video Enhanced Receiver(ROVER) interoperable mode that provides Air Force personnel on the battlefield with the ability to receive live video directly from unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs).

The AN/PRC-117G previously received Type-1 information security certification from the National Security Agency.