[Satellite TODAY 01-25-13] The United States Army has ordered $5 million in new kits to upgrade 100 Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) AN/PRC-155 two-channel Manpack radios from General Dynamics. The upgrade includes a field-replaceable power amplifier and supporting software, and it will enable secure voice and data communication with the MUOS system, which delivers high-speed voice and data communications and 10-times greater capacity than the military’s current Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite communications system.

   The new two-channel PRC-155 Manpack radios requested by the Army will allow soldiers to access the MUOS system wherever they are deployed, either land, sea or air. Additionally, the radios run the essential waveforms from the defense department library. They include the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) that connects dismounted soldiers to the network, the Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) that transports large amounts of data, and the legacy SINCGARS waveform for communication with existing radios.

   Using the PRC-155’s two-channel capability, soldiers operating on any one of these waveforms on one channel, can interconnect with soldiers using another waveform on the second channel. With the MUOS capability in the PRC-155, a network of soldiers can be interconnected with others in a far distant location.

The kits will be delivered in the fall of 2013.