Australia looks towards space with force restructure, investment and training
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A US Army soldier with AN/PRC-148C IMBITR. (Photo: US Army)
Thales will provide its AN/PRC-148C Improved Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (IMBITR) to the US Army under the Combat Net Radio (CNR) programme.
‘The flexible, software-defined and secure CNR will empower the US Army to seamlessly replace the legacy R/T1523 fleet of radios,’ Thales noted in a 16 May statement. ‘It will continue to be compatible with the existing SINCGARS [Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System] waveform but allow the Army to add new waveforms and enhanced capabilities to address evolving requirements.’
IDIQ contracts totalling up to $6.1 billion for CNR were awarded on 25 March for Thales and L3Harris, with initial orders worth $18.2 million and $20.6 million respectively.
There is a five-year baseline ordering period with options for a further five years. First tests are scheduled for 2024.
The CNR contract follows delivery orders the US Army placed in October 2021 for the Thales two-channel AN/PRC-148D Leader Radio and the new single-channel AN/PRC-170 Javelin Radio.
‘Both radios deliver portable voice and data communication to warfighters under the most extreme battlefield conditions,’ Thales stated.
Australia is looking to improve its presence in space with a focus on communications and creating a dedicated segment of its defence forces committed to the domain.
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