Army orders long-range HF radios for MRAP combat vehicles from Harris in $30.4 million contract

ROCHESTER, N.Y., 29 April 2011. The Harris Corp. RF Communications Division in Rochester, N.Y., will supply the U.S. Army with Falcon II AN/VRC-104(V)(3) high-frequency military radio communications systems for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored combat vehicle under terms of a $20.4 million contract announced this week.The AN/VRC-104 radio is a version of the Harris The AN/PRC-150(C) radio configured for military vehicle communications applications that provides 150 Watts of high-frequency single-sideband (HF SSB) communications, and 60 Watts of very-high-frequency, frequency-modulated (VHF-FM) radio communications.The radio has an adapter that helps users convert it rapidly to a man-portable radio communications system when they leave the vehicle. The VRC-104 can communicate long distances beyond the horizon by bounding HF signals between 2 and 30 MHz off the Earth's ionosphere, similarly to the way commercial shortwave radios work for long-distance communications.

The radio's HF capabilities also are beneficial for military forces operating in mountains, cities, or other areas where geographical features could block line-of-sight radio signals, explains Brendan O'Connell, president of U.S. Department of Defense business at Harris RF Communications.

For more information contact Harris RF Communications online at www.rfcomm.harris.com.