Harris receives $85 million USAF Falcon contract

Harris Corporation will provide the US Air Force (USAF) with Falcon multiband manpack tactical radios and accessories under a new $85 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract announced on 21 December. An initial delivery order of $33 million was placed with the contract award.

The Falcon III AN/PRC-117G will serve USAF ground units as the next-generation radio platform for tactical voice and wideband data communications. The system will provide the USAF with seamless connectivity to the global information grid in support of a range of existing and emerging network-enabled missions.

The Falcon III AN/PRC-117G is a next-generation radio, combining line-of-sight, beyond-line-of-sight and wideband communications capabilities in a single lightweight package. The radio provides enhanced situational awareness of the battlefield by connecting warfighters to the tactical internet.

George Helm, president, Department of Defense business, Harris RF Communications, said: ‘The air force will modernise its tactical communications around the wideband AN/PRC-117G, providing its personnel with enhanced situational awareness, ISR and command and control capabilities. This new IDIQ will allow the air force to address both current JTRS requirements as well as emerging interoperability requirements through an affordable, upgradeable, combat-proven platform. The USAF is rapidly advancing its tactical radio modernisation programme, taking full advantage of the JTRS-Certified AN/PRC-117G manpack radio available today.’