BAE Systems' PHOENIX Networking Radios Prove Capabilities

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BAE Systems’ PHOENIX-2C radios successfully provided tactical networking capabilities during recent U.S. Army exercises, enabling soldiers to communicate more than 20 kilometers, double the mid-tier network requirement.

Fully interoperable with other Joint Tactical Radio Systems currently in use, the PHOENIX radios were tested earlier this month at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona.

“We have developed a radio that gives our soldiers a critical advantage, by seamlessly, securely, and reliably bridging the communications gap between the soldiers on the ground – both on the front lines and in the rear – and those at headquarters,” said Joseph Senftle, vice president and general manager of Communications and Control Solutions at BAE Systems. “We look forward to participating in the next phase of field testing.”

These exercises were designed to begin assessing candidate capabilities for mid-tier networking radios and were part of an excursion linked to Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 13.1.  The excursion will provide the U.S. Army with feedback as it moves through its mid-tier radio candidate assessments.  NIE 13.1 supports comprehensive Army modernization plans to support a synchronized vehicle and network fielding strategy that prioritizes capabilities for deployed forces and improves alignment of limited resources.

Using PHOENIX radios, soldiers can communicate voice, data, and video for enhanced battlefield awareness.  The high-throughput family of radios includes three variants which allow for multiple configurations – a two-channel with SINGCARS, a two-channel, and a four-channel that each uses the next-generation, government-owned Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). With the robust WNW, all PHOENIX variants provide full anti-jam modes to protect communications in hostile environments and when using jammers such as CREW. This off-the-shelf radio system offers a low size, weight, and power design that integrates easily into the SINGCARS radio space already allotted on U.S. Army ground combat vehicles.