Marines Modernize with L3Harris HF Radios

Dec. 18, 2019

The SDR-based Falcon III AN/PRC-160 HF portable radios were selected by the U.S. Marines as part of the High Frequency Radio II modernization program.

Jack Browne

Related To:

L3Harris Technologies

The U.S. Marine Corps has selected Falcon III AN/PRC-160 high-frequency (HF) portable radios from L3Harris to replace legacy L3Harris HF radios. The $50 million follow-on delivery order is part of the Navy Portable Radio Program five-year IDIQ contract received in 2017 and is part of the Marines’ High Frequency Radio II modernization program. The HF radios provide beyond line-of-sight (LOS) terrestrial communications in environments in which satcom systems are not functional.

These latest HF radios provide 10 times the throughput of legacy portable HF radio systems and meet National Security Agency (NSA) crypto-modernization standards. The radios feature a software-defined-radio (SDR) architecture that simplifies upgrades and enables interoperability across U.S. and coalition forces. “The AN/PRC-160 delivers the security and resilience the Marine Corps needs for its tactical radio modernization programs, while providing unmatched capability for Marines on the battlefield,” said Dana Mehnert, president, Communication Systems, L3Harris. “These radios provide high-speed, long-range HF communications that meet the Marine Corps’ demanding program of record requirements.”

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.