Harris Corporation Falcon III Manpack Radio Completes MUOS Satellite Communication Test

AN/PRC-117G Wideband Multiband Multimission Radio. Photo: Harris

[Via Satellite 12-06-13] Harris Corporation’s Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multiband manpack radio has successfully communicated with the new Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite constellation. MUOS is a next-generation military satellite communications system designed to provide U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) users with enhanced cellular telephone-like capabilities through tactical radios.

Harris demonstrated third-generation wireless compatibility with the MUOS constellation during a recent high-latitude experiment over the North Pole. Lockheed Martin led the demonstration, which involved repeated transmissions between the MUOS system and the Harris radio onboard a cargo plane flying from Alaska to the North Pole and back. The experiment’s success follows favorable results in a similar test during the summer in U.S. government testing labs in San Diego.

“The AN/PRC-117G can enable the DoD to address the anticipated shortage of terminals to deliver the significant capabilities that the MUOS constellation offers to the end user,” said George Helm, president, DoD business, Harris RF Communications.

Of those wideband radios already deployed to users, more than 30,000 are ready to host the MUOS waveform software. Harris Corporation anticipates using a software upgrade to provide MUOS capability to other preexisting radio terminals.