standard relating to hardware and software SDR design criteria. The aim is to enable future communications systems to interoperate with communications equipment developed as part of the JTRS programme. In addition, it will develop a High Data Rate Waveform (HDWF) which can be ported into the communications systems of the participating nations (Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden). The Coalwnw includes eleven nations notably, the United States and most of the six participating countries in the Essor initiative, and seeks to eventually develop a coalition wideband networking waveform which can be used by all of the participating countries to enhance interoperability. The tactical-level High Data Rate Waveform (HDRWF) being developed as part of the Essor undertaking is a candidate for the Coalwnw. The Contact programme will port the waveforms developed as a result of the Essor and Coalwnw initiatives. Alongside its leading role in the Contact programme, Thales’s American subsidiary has developed the MBITR2 (the nextgeneration Multiband Inter/Intra Team
Thales’ PR4G F@stNet radio family includes a wide range of transceivers for manpack and vehicle use. This includes the TRC-9310 A/AP VHF vehicular radio. The PR4G family is used extensively by the French armed forces. (Thales)
Thales’ TRC-3700 HF manpack radio forms part of the company’s Skyfast long-range HF communications range. These radios can handle data at a rate of 9.6kbps and cover the 15-30Mhz frequency spread in 100 hertz steps. (Thales)
Radio) which is currently undergoing tests with the United States armed forces. MBITR2 can perform simultaneous narrow and wideband operations using a single handheld transceiver. While it retains the waveforms of the legacy VHF/UHF AN/PRC-148 JEM (JTRS Enhanced MBITR), notably Sincgars and the Havequick-I/II UHF frequencyhopping protection protocol, it adds a second wideband channel which enables data and video reception and transmission. This also permits the user to access wideband tactical networks via the SRW. Meanwhile, an embedded GPS affords the radio a blue force tracking capability. Thales plan to produce a portable amplifier which will allow the MBITR2 to become a vehicular or manpack radio in the future. Although Thales’s PR4G radio family has been in service both in France and around the world for some time now, the
Thales’ PR4G family also includes the TRC-9210 VHF manpack. Over the long term, the PR4G family will be replaced in the French armed forces by the Contact series of radios that are currently under development by Thales. (Thales)
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Compendium Radios 2013
firm is evolving the range. Its new TRC9110 VHF hand-held radio is entering the production phase. The TRC-9110 is a small lightweight handheld radio offering the same features and same waveform that exist in the manpack and the vehicular stations. A new 50W light vehicle station (TRC 9310 L) based on this handheld and equipped with a booster is completing the current PR4G F@stnet family. All the new equipment includes Thales’s new GeoMux VHF waveform which is dedicated to voice, data and position reporting, featuring one of the most advanced VHF waveforms on the market. In addition, a data transfer rate of 100kbps has been demonstrated which Thales expects to deliver to customers next year. For the individual soldier, UHF traffic can be handled by Thales’s St@rMille family which offers three standard waveforms covering intra-squad, intra-platoon and weapons-system communications. A high data rate waveform can be used by the St@rMille family to enable simultaneous voice, data and GPS transmissions. Available in three different hardware versions (handheld, vehicular and high power), ST@rMille offers high mobility in different operative scenarios (urban, suburban and rural), self-forming and selfmanaging networks without need for any infrastructure, automatic reporting of the GPS position, a high data rate capacity, including live video transmissions and secure communications via its embedded AES-based encryption algorithm. As noted above, Thales has a presence in the United States most notably through
Alongside Thales’ TRC-9310 A/AP VHF vehicular radio, the firm produces the TRC9310B/C dual fit vehicular VHF radio. All of the PR4G family radios support waveforms specifically developed by Thales and can port new waveforms developed by the company as and when available. (Thales)