US Space Force increases efforts to plug training capabilities gaps
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
Harris Corporation has announced that it has received orders worth a total of $64 million from the US Marine Corps (USMC) for its Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multiband manpack radios, vehicular amplifier adapters, antennas and field support. The AN/PRC-117G radios and vehicular systems will provide Marine forces with voice and mobile wideband data communications for expeditionary missions.
The AN/PRC-117G is a part of the Falcon III wideband radio family that delivers unprecedented situational awareness on the battlefield. Software-defined and upgradeable, the AN/PRC-117G provides users with high-performance voice and high-bandwidth data communications. The radio supports emerging combat applications such as streaming video, collaborative chat and other applications. The Falcon III family also includes the NSA Type-1 certified AN/PRC-152A wideband handheld radio.
The AN/PRC-117G is the first JTRS Software Communications Architecture-certified and NSA Type-1 certified wideband manpack radio system. With its fully integrated and NSA-certified High Assurance Internet Protocol Equipment (HAIPE) networking encryption, the AN/PRC-117G provides the highest level of information assurance to tactical units.
More than 16,000 AN/PRC-117G radio systems have been deployed by the U.S. DoD and allies such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, other NATO nations and Australia. The radio was developed following 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 cost through software re-use.
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
The service has been conducting several acquisition and upgrading efforts involving artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve communication, data analysis and ISR systems.
The Syracuse 4B communications satellite, developed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, was launched last year, bolstering secure military satellite communications for the French Armed Forces. Thales has now been selected to provide terminals for vehicles.
The growing importance of space in modern warfare, advancements in satellite technology, and increasing threats from rivals like China and Russia were among the topics of a Eurosatory 2024 panel on military space operations.
AN/ARC-232A is a Starfire radio that provides VHF/UHF communications to airborne platforms and the transceiver is software-programmable, allowing for multiple waveform support as well as optional national electronic counter counter-measure (ECCM) capability.
During the 18-month period of the contract, Lockheed Martin will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to create surrogate models of aircraft, sensors, electronic warfare and weapons within dynamic and operationally representative environments.