New Harris Corporation handheld radio for US Army.

Harris Corporation has introduced a new advanced two-channel handheld radio that simultaneously delivers voice and data networking to U.S. Army leaders, significantly improving critical battlefield communications.

The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio is easy to use, lightweight and rugged, and features a flexible software-defined architecture (Picture source: Harris Corporation)

The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio is easy to use, lightweight and rugged, and features a flexible software-defined architecture – enabling users to quickly add new waveforms and applications from the battlefield.

The new radio’s superior crossbanding technology allows users to send information up and down the chain of command, as well as across the battlefield network backbone, while connecting to computing devices, including Android™ smartphones. It can simultaneously transmit information through combinations of legacy SATCOM, VHF/UHF line-of-sight and Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking applications – and future applications as they become available.

Harris’ Army radio is based on the company’s ground-breaking AN/PRC-163 radio for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). It features SWAP-C optimization that meets multiple mission needs, while reducing the need for warfighters to carry several pieces of equipment, and has a mission module expansion slot for future capabilities.

“The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio’s future-proof design and software-defined architecture provides superior capabilities today and enables fast field upgrades for emerging capabilities,” said Chris Young, president, Harris Communication Systems. “That upgradeability, coupled with ease of use and interoperability, makes it a clear choice for the Army’s network modernization.”

Harris has been an Army mission partner for nearly 60 years, providing technologies that enable the connected battlefield. The company has delivered more than one million tactical radios to warfighters around the globe and participates in all major U.S. tactical radio modernization initiatives – including the Army’s HMS (Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit) and Rifleman (Leader Radio) programs.