Harris’s Falcon III radio completes interoperability testing with MUOS

21 March 2014 naval-technology.com

Harris's Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multiband manpack radio, hosting the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) waveform, has successfully completed initial interoperability testing.

The test, conducted at the Joint Tactical Networking Center MUOS Reference Implementation Laboratory in San Diego, California, US, demonstrated interoperability with the addition of MUOS software to AN/PRC-117G radios, without modification from their standard hardware configurations.

The US Navy's MUOS is a next-generation narrowband tactical satellite communications system capable of enhancing ground communications for US forces on the move.

In addition to providing cellular-based service through tactical radios, the MUOS offers more communications capability for military users over existing systems, including simultaneous voice, video and data - similar to the capabilities experienced today with smart phones.

"Simple software upgrades will bring MUOS to more than 30,000 AN/PRC-117G radios already in use, giving the DoD the most cost-effective solution for rapidly transitioning its tactical satellite radio inventory to support this important new capability."

Harris RF Communications Department of Defense business president George Helm said that the company is rapidly delivering on its commitment to provide the MUOS waveform in AN/PRC-117G tactical radios.

"Simple software upgrades will bring MUOS to more than 30,000 AN/PRC-117G radios already in use, giving the DoD the most cost-effective solution for rapidly transitioning its tactical satellite radio inventory to support this important new capability," Helm added.

In order to provide a new and more capable UHF military satellite communication system, the MUOS uses a commercial 3G Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) cellular technology with geosynchronous satellites.

A new round of tests of the AN/PRC-117G is scheduled to commence at the US government MUOS system integration labs in Arizona, US.

Last year, the radio successfully completed separate on-air tests in San Diego and near the North Pole.