Harris Corp. has received an $11.7 M order to supply Falcon III7reg; multiband handheld radio systems in vehicular configurations to the US Department of Defense (DoD) for use in Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The radios will be installed in US Army MRAP vehicles currently in use in Afghanistan.

Harris is supplying MRAP vehicles with Falcon III AN/VRC-110 vehicular radio systems. The AN/VRC-110 is an amplifier adapter that includes two AN/PRC-152(C) radios, which serve as handheld transceivers. The AN/PRC-152(C) is the most widely fielded NSA Type-1 certified, JTRS SCA-certified handheld radio, with more than 130,000 units deployed worldwide.

"The combat proven AN/VRC-110 vehicular radio system provides the US DoD with reliable, multi-mission, multiband communications and is part of a broad portfolio of Falcon III family of radios," said Brendan O'Connell, President, US Department of Defense business, Harris RF Communications.

The Army is acquiring the AN/PRC-152(C) radios and AN/VRC-110 systems via the Consolidated Single-Channel Handheld Radio (CSCHR) contract through the Joint Program Executive Office for the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). The AN/PRC-152(C) was developed using the JTRS Enterprise Business Model (EBM). The EBM encourages companies to develop next-generation solutions in tactical communications using their own investment capital to integrate JTRS waveform software. In doing so, the EBM stimulates competition, increases innovation, and reduces costs through software re-use.