Army, Contractors & Vendors, Defense Department, Harris, Marine Corps

Harris ships its 100,000th JTRS-approved handheld radio

From the release:

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company,today is delivering its 100,000th Falcon III(R) AN/PRC-152( C ), a multiband handheld radio that is providing improved secure real-time communication between deployed forces at all levels during combat and crisis.

The software-defined AN/PRC-152( C ) is the most widely deployed JTRS-approved radio. Currently in use by all branches of the DoD, many allies and U.S.
federal agencies, the radio was funded by Harris Corporation and is being procured under the JTRS Enterprise Business Model. This development work has also yielded the only JTRS-approved wideband networking radio available today, the Falcon III AN/PRC-117(G).

The 100,000th radio was presented to the U.S. Army in a ceremony at Harris RF Communications facilities in Rochester, New York. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, joined Harris RF management and employees to celebrate the milestone.

“Congress, the DoD, Harris and the JTRS Joint Program Executive Office share
an unwavering commitment to get urgently needed networked communication
solutions to the field as quickly as possible,” said Dana Mehnert, Group
President, Harris RF Communications. “Harris Corporation is supporting this
imperative by delivering the JTRS-approved AN/PRC-152( C ) and the AN/PRC-117G manpack. These radios are in full production and are helping our armed
services field JTRS capabilities to address real-world missions today while providing the upgradeability to adapt to future standards and requirements.”

The multiband, multimission Falcon III AN/PRC-152( C ) radio is available in handheld and vehicular “grab-and-go” configurations and provides advanced communications interoperability to U.S. and allied forces, as well as federal agencies. The radio has significantly advanced the speed and reliability of voice-and-data communications on the battlefield.

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Air Force, Contractors & Vendors, Lockheed Martin, Navy, Sensors, weapons systems

Hawker Beechcraft and Lockheed team on USAF light armed recon aircraft bid

The Air Force and Navy have both been investigating the idea of a return to propeller-driven aircraft for “irregular warfare” support — something that can provide both ISR for special forces on the ground with a long on-station time, and quick close air support when the need arises.  The Navy reportedly was looking at the Brazilian-made Super Tucano for that role (though the Super Tucano is not carrier-launch capable).

In July, the Air Force’s Air Combat Command issued a presolictation “capability request” for a Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft.  Now Hawker Beechcraft and Lockheed Martin have joined forces to put together a bid based on H/B’s T-6 Navy and Air Force trainer.

The AT-6, a hardened version of the T-6, is in prototype phase — a prototype successfully completed its first test flight on September 10.

From the release:Hawker Beechcraft Corporation

(HBC) and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] have teamed to compete for the opportunity to

provide a low-cost, low-risk solution to address U.S. Air Force (USAF) needs for a Light

Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft. The USAF is expected to launch an

acquisition program in fiscal year 2010.

HBC, based in Wichita, Kan., will be prime contractor and Lockheed Martin Systems

Integration in Owego, NY, will be the mission systems integrator for the Beechcraft AT-6

LAAR aircraft. The AT-6 will be a product of the combined heritage and expertise of the

two companies, leveraging the existing worldwide fleet of Hawker Beechcraft T-6 aircraft

that recently passed the one million flying hour milestone, with the proven missions

systems integration expertise of Lockheed Martin.


Related links:

Hawker Beechcraft | Military/Trainer

Lockheed/Hawker joint release

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