Harris Corporation receives $24.5m order from US Army and US DoD

Harris Corporation, an international communications and information technology company, has received a $24.5 million order to provide the US Army and the US Department of Defense with Falcon III handheld and vehicular tactical radio systems. Harris will provide the US Army with Falcon III AN/PRC-152 multiband handheld radios and ancillary equipment and the US Department of Defense with Falcon III AN/VRC-110 vehicular tactical radio systems for use in Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

The US Army is acquiring AN/PRC-152 multimission handheld radios to provide line-of-sight tactical communications to the dismounted warfighter. The AN/PRC-152 is the most widely fielded NSA Type-1 certified, JTRS SCA-certified handheld radio, with more than 130,000 units deployed worldwide.

The DoD is acquiring the Falcon III AN/VRC-110 systems for use in multiple variants of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The AN/VRC-110 is an amplifier adapter that includes two AN/PRC-152 radios, which serve as handheld transceivers. The radios and vehicular amplifier adapter systems for MRAP vehicles were ordered with a DX rating - signifying the DoD's highest acquisition priority for rapid delivery.

"Harris Falcon series of radios are installed in the majority of MRAP vehicles deployed to Afghanistan," said Brendan O'Connell, president, US Department of Defense business Harris RF Communications. "We're continuing to improve and develop new capabilities for the AN/PRC-152 to meet emerging mission requirements. Harris Falcon III radio systems are now deployed by all branches of the US Department of Defense and key US allies."

The DoD acquired the AN/PRC-152 and AN/VRC-110 systems radios via the Consolidated Single-Channel Handheld Radio (CSCHR) contract through the Joint Program Executive Office of the Joint Tactical Radio System. The AN/PRC-152 and AN/VRC-110 were developed under the JTRS Enterprise Business Model (EBM). The EBM encourages companies to develop next-generation solutions in tactical communications using their own investment capital to integrate JTRS waveform software. In doing so, the EBM stimulates competition, increases innovation, and reduces costs through software re-use.

Source: Harris Corp.

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