Harris wins $169M Army handheld vehicle radio deal

The Harris Corp. won an Army contract to provide radios and related systems that one day will assist the Army's move to the Joint Tactical Radio System.

The $169 million contract from the Army Communications and Electronics Command is for Falcon III dual Vehicular Adapter Amplifier systems and includes handheld radios certified by the National Security Agency.

In the future, the systems, called AN/VRC-110, can use the Joint Tactical Radio System Software Communications Architecture and a programmable encryption module for the JTRS.

The radio systems gives the Army SINCGARS 50 Watt vehicular radio functionality that they rely on for long-range communications, and the portability of a handheld that is lighter and easier to carry in tactical, quick-dismount scenarios, said Dana Mehnert, president of Harris RF Communications Division.

The systems are integrated, high-performance, multiband, vehicular radio systems that include the handheld, a power amplifier and an integrated, handheld battery charger. The system features 50-watt output in the VHF (30 - 90 MHz) band ? the typical configuration for SINCGARS units in use today ? to deliver the long-range communication links required on the battlefield.

Harris designed the radio systems to be compatible with the Army's vehicular mounts and cables.

In addition, the system offers two antenna ports with automatic switching for multimission capability, as well as built-in collocation filtering for dual installations. Operators need only to select the required net on the radio to switch between ground communications and ground-to-air or satellite communications.

Harris of Melbourne, Fla., has more than 13,000 employees and annual sales of $3 billion. The company ranks ranks No. 22 on Washington Technology's 2006 Top 100 list of the largest federal IT contractors.