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 been awarded a $6 million contract by the USMC to replace the existing radio system in use throughout East Coast USMC bases and other locations.
The company revealed that it had received an initial order on 15 July, which will see it deliver a new radio system based upon Project 25 (P25) standards and Harris’ VIDA network.
P25 is a suite of standards for digital radio communications for use by federal, state and local public safety. The new system will use the modern Internet Protocol architecture that is used by P25 and VIDA.
The first order will involve the design and deployment of radio systems at four bases in North Carolina and Georgia. The total potential value of the full contract is $16 million, which will include system design and deployment, equipment, managed services, maintenance and other options.
The replacement system will enable first responders to communicate and coordinate efforts more easily with neighbouring civilian agencies than the current analogue system, claimed Harris in a company statement.
The contract follows a $26 million order USMC made for Falcon manpack radios on 15 May which will expand its wideband tactical network.
Meanwhile Harris was granted a $61 million contract on 1 July to supply the Poland Ministry of National Defense with its Falcon III AN/PRC-117G manpack and AN/PRC-152A handheld radios.
It was also awarded a $23 million order from an undisclosed Middle Eastern nation for the Falcon III radios, announced on 31 May 2013.
‘Harris is helping customers transition legacy tactical communications to modern networked wideband systems,’ said Brendan O'Connell, president, International Business, Harris RF Communications, in relation to the Middle Eastern order.
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.
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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.