ROCHESTER, N.Y., 21 July 2009. Harris Corp., an international communications and information technology company, won $44 million in orders to provide JTRS-approved Falcon III AN/PRC-152(C) handheld radios and accessories to the U.S. Air Force. The radios will support the changing communication needs of the entire Air Force enterprise, including Security Forces, Special Operations, Combat Engineers, and Air Mobility Command (AMC), says a representative.

The Air Force is acquiring AN/PRC-152(C) radios along with vehicle adapter amplifiers, base stations, and repeater systems for use as core elements. The system offers mounted and dismounted forces secure and reliable extended range communications links among team members and back to the Mission Command Post or Tactical Operations Centers.

"Air Force personnel are taking on additional duties outside the wire, and as a result are in need of advanced communication capabilities that are smaller, lighter and more mobile," says Dana Mehnert, group president, Harris RF Communications. "This radio addresses the interoperability needs of today's warfighter and is upgradeable to address changing technical standards and mission requirements."

The AN/PRC-152(C) offers users a range of capabilities, such as SINCGARS interoperability, APCO P25, ultra high-frequency (UHF) ground-to-ground line-of-sight communications, HAVEQUICK II, Close-Air Support, and programmable encryption. The AN/PRC-152(C) also serves as the handheld-based transceiver of the Falcon III AN/VRC-110--a high-performance, multiband vehicular system that serves as an improved alternative to legacy SINCGARS radios. The radio has been certified as compliant with version 2.2 of the JTRS Software Communications Architecture and certified Type-1 compliant by the National Security Agency (NSA).