DOD begins hunt for new radios

With the cost of the Joint Tactical Radio System rising, the military is looking for less expensive alternatives.

A new contract for broadband battlefield radios is in the works, according to a report on NextGov.

Defense report Bob Brewin cited an April 29 posting by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command that said SPAWAR wanted feedback on the availability of ground radios that would not need any government development dollars. In other words, a commercially available radio.

The request for information says the radios must be compatible with the Joint Tactical Radio System, but because of JTRS high costs, some branches of the service are looking for cheaper alternatives, according to Brewin's report.