Harris to deliver MUOS SATCOM upgrades for USMC's manpack radios
NewsJanuary 14, 2019
ROCHESTER, N.Y. U.S. Marine Corps. (USMC) Officials placed a $75 million order with Harris Corp. to deliver Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) narrowband satellite communication (SATCOM) upgrades to the service?s Falcon III AN/PRC-117G manpack radio fleet.
The order is part of the Navy Portable Radio Program five-year IDIQ contract received in 2017. The MUOS software upgrade will allow Marines to access the new, advanced MUOS satellite constellation that provides next-generation satellite communications, enabling them to talk and more easily share data anywhere in the world.
In addition to the MUOS upgrades, Harris will deliver ancillary devices for the AN/PRC-117G radios currently fielded by the USMC. These include antennas, which enable the Harris radios to support SATCOM-on-the-move while connected to the MUOS satellites.
The AN/PRC-117G MUOS software upgrade will also provide the Marines with a greater number of SATCOM users, enhanced voice and data communication, and robustness in disadvantaged environments where they operate, such as urban and high/low latitude locations.
“Adding this capability to the 117G will enable the Marines to leverage the proven radios they have already deployed, fought and trained with to access the advanced capabilities and capacity of the MUOS satellites with a simple software upgrade,” says Dana Mehnert, president, Harris Communication Systems. “The MUOS upgrade also will enable interoperability with other U.S. DOD and allied users who deploy this advanced capability in the future.”
