Tactical radios require tremendous capabilities and flexibility to remain effective on the battlefield. Most tactical environments consist of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) which must be interoperable with many different radio systems and organizations. The MPU5 from Persistent Systems is a smart radio designed to adapt to the changing conditions of the battlefield. Based on software-defined-radio (SDR) technology and the company’s own Wave Relay transmission algorithms, this is a tactical radio that also contains a full-featured computer for extensive functionality and advanced mobile networking.
The smart radio is equivalent to portable computer server that fits in the palm of the hand, with enormous computing and networking capabilities. The processing power that drives the MPU5 is Android-based, with 1-GHz quad-core ARM, 2 GB RAM, and 128 GB of flash memory storage. Users can run Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) software and other programs and to record and review video footage, enhancing situational awareness and increasing operational effectiveness. The MPU5 was a recent first choice for in-the-field networking by the FBI.