The radio products team at General Dynamics Mission Systems recently delivered their 10,000th CM-300/350 VHF/UHF version 2 (V2) radio to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the NEXCOM 2 modernization program. The radios provide VoIP communications for pilots and air traffic controllers in the National Airspace System (NAS).
The CM-300/350 V2 radios (see photo) replace legacy VHF/UHF radios in FAA facilities and military installations; some of those legacy radios are almost 50 years old. The V2 radios have been averaging fielded mean time between failure (FMTBF) of 398,000 hours across 266 operational terminal sites being monitored. These high-performance radios employ software-defined-radio (SDR) technology for flexibility in adapting to new standards and requirements, using software updates to change characteristics as needed.
The NEXCOM 2 contract was awarded to General Dynamics Mission Systems in 2012, with radios built at the company’s facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. The first batch of radios was delivered to the FAA in 2014 as part of the program. “The CM-300/350 V2 radios meet the dynamic communications requirements of air traffic control centers, commercial airports, military air stations, and range installations,” said Paul Parent, vice president of Radio Programs and Products for General Dynamics Mission Systems.
