Harris RF Communications - Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)

Homeland Security on the Air
By James Martin, Deputy Editor

Military Information Technology January, 2002

Conceding that there is a “good side” to disaster, while seemingly callous, can also be salubrious. Major disasters tend to catch and hold the attention of survivors. And the inevitable period of reflection in their aftermath ultimately turns to a consideration of measures for preventing, or improving response to, a recurrence.

The tragic events of Sept. 11 have exposed one area in need of immediate attention. As reported in a recent article in The New York Times, a malfunction of handheld radios apparently complicated the rescue efforts of firefighters at the World Trade Center and may even have contributed to a higher loss of life among these “first responders.” Reception of analog radio transmissions in the Twin Towers reputedly was not the best—a condition typical for high-rise structures—and crash damage sustained by the buildings’ radio signal boost equipment (i.e., the so-called repeater) may have compounded the communications problem. It has been reported that an evacuation order broadcast by Fire Chief Joseph Callan was not received by some of the firefighters.

Reliable tactical radio communications are crucial to the success of modern military operations, and current press releases are replete with accounts of corporate activities in this technological arena. Many corporations with a history of provision for the military can now be expected to adapt their product lines and offer their expertise to civilian organizations involved in homeland defense. In this connection, two heavy hitters are stepping up to the plate, and they bring with them rather hefty batting averages.

Primary contributors the “Cluster 1” package of proposals for the Department of Defense’s Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), Harris Corp. and General Dynamics Decision Systems have a history of innovative tactical radio development. Harris offers a proven array of products in its Falcon^® II family. As described to MIT by Kevin Kane, director of business development for U.S. Army and Marine Corps in Harris’ RF Communications Division, all are multiband radios; they cover more than the one frequency band that is the hallmark of legacy systems. They are also software-defined, which makes them unique in the current inventory. Finally, all have embedded U.S. government security algorithms, one of Harris’ specialties.

The AN/PRC-117F Multiband, Multimission Manpack Radio covers the VHF/UHF frequency range of 30 to 512 MHz and offers embedded communications security, satellite communications, and electronic counter-countermeasures capabilities. This radio’s free coverage of what is called “low-band VHF”— i.e., from the low end of the military band all the way through UHF—encompasses the ranges of military ground-to-ground, ground-to-air, and ground-to-satellite frequencies, as well as the bands of most police and other civil defense agencies.

Another product, the AN/PRC-150(C) Advanced HF/VHF Tactical Radio System, is touted as a reliable, long-range, secure manpack radio whose transceiver has a frequency range of 1.6 to 60 MHz. George Helm, director of tactical radio product management for Harris, asserted that these radios are eminently adaptable to homeland defense uses. General Dynamics Decision Systems weighs in with two VHF/UHF portable multiband radios designed for line-of-sight communications under the most demanding handling and operational conditions. The URC-200 and URC-500 are analog radios designed for military air-to-ground communications, and they have been part of the inventory for many years. Their operating VHF ranges are 125 to 150 MHz AM and up to 174 MHz FM; their UHF range, 225 to 400 MHz.

The URC radio has regular and encrypted versions, the latter coming with a variety of different options depending on the kind of encryption the customer is seeking. According to Frances Connors, Decision Systems’ product marketing manager for radio products, this feature and its flexibility in deployment—vehicular, backpack, rack, and airborne mounting are possible—make the radio especially amenable to homeland security applications.

General Dynamics Decision Systems, Connors insisted, is committed to tactical radio communications. The company has over 30 years of experience in the field and is currently involved in developments that reflect the state of the art. It has a contract to supply the U.S. Navy’s Digital Modular Radio systems, a specific objective of which is interoperability with existing Navy tactical systems. Moreover, it boasts a Combat Search and Rescue System combining Global Positioning System capabilities with beacon, transceiver, transponder, and unique portable location interrogation technologies. Decision Systems also manufactures and markets a family of software-defined communication systems for which migration to, and interoperability with, legacy systems is standard, and thus application to prospective homeland security missions almost inevitable.

Decidedly upbeat on the idea of a “single voice” for homeland security, Helm noted, “It’s not too far away to think that some of the things done under JTRS … could create platforms that could be used for some of the other homeland security missions, which are probably evolving right now.”