Rockwell Collins tests HMS bid radio
Rockwell Collins has completed qualification testing on the AN/PRC-162 for the US Army’s Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit (HMS) programme. The programme will now move into customer testing.
Rockwell Collins delivered 30 AN/PRC-162 two-channel, software-defined military communication radios for testing. The customer testing phase will include more rigorous evaluations, with increased network complexity and validation with various radio systems.
The army is looking to buy in excess of 60,000 radios throughout the 10-year acquisition programme and expects full-rate production to begin in 2017.
The AN/PRC-162 hosts multiple waveforms, both narrowband and wideband, point-to-point data, and Mobile User Objective System in a software-defined radio architecture.
Troy Brunk, vice president and general manager, communication and navigation solutions, said: ‘For years, we’ve delivered secure communications with the ARC-210, the most widely fielded radio in the airborne market.
‘The AN/PRC-162 benefits directly from this technology baseline as well as our proven experience integrating networked communication across the battlefield.’
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![How digital systems are transforming the battlefield (video)]()
How digital systems are transforming the battlefield (video)
Timo Haas, CEO of Rheinmetall's Digital Systems Division, explains how digitalisation is reshaping modern warfare and highlights the technologies the company is showcasing at Eurosatory 2026.
-
![Artificial intelligence: the hope, the hype and the real-world reality]()
Artificial intelligence: the hope, the hype and the real-world reality
Artificial intelligence has supported C2 systems and decision-making for more than two decades. It has gradually built up a head of steam in the 2020s, but what is it achieving today and what role could it play in the future?
-
![SOF Week 2026: How SOF Teams Are Powering Radios, Drones and Battlefield Networks (video)]()
SOF Week 2026: How SOF Teams Are Powering Radios, Drones and Battlefield Networks (video)
At SOF Week 2026, Sean O’Neill, Senior Business Development Manager with Iris Technology, discusses the growing importance of tactical power management systems for modern military operations.
-
![SOF Week 2026: How SOF Operators Are Driving the Future of Battlefield Communications (video)]()
SOF Week 2026: How SOF Operators Are Driving the Future of Battlefield Communications (video)
At SOF Week 2026, Austin Farnham, President of Octane Wireless, discusses how direct feedback from special operations forces is helping shape the next generation of battlefield communications technology.
-
![World Defense Show 2026: Northrop Grumman to present improved C2 management system]()
World Defense Show 2026: Northrop Grumman to present improved C2 management system
The Northrop Grumman Integrated Battle Command System is in service with Poland and the US Army with another 20 countries believed to have expressed an interest.
-
![Thales looks to boost DigitalCrew system through AI and human-machine teaming trials]()
Thales looks to boost DigitalCrew system through AI and human-machine teaming trials
The Thales DigitalCrew package, first unveiled at last year’s Defence IQ International Armoured Vehicles conference, is designed to merge imaging and apply a layer of decision-making and observation algorithms to support crew and other personnel.
