Thales to supply US Army with more than 7,000 additional Combat Net Radios.

The U.S. Army has ordered more than 7,000 Thales RT-2129 Combat Net Radios (CNR) based on the Improved Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (IMBITR) technology, demonstrating the service’s continued confidence in Thales’ ability to deliver next-generation radios for the Army’s network modernization effort.
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RT-2129 Tactical Secure Voice Crypto Interoperability Standard (TSVCIS) compliant radio (Picture source: Thales)

As a fully software-defined communications solution, the Thales CNR ensures interoperability with the legacy Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) waveform, as well as enables the Army to quickly add improved waveforms to address evolving requirements. The RT-2129 CNR is a critical component to the Army’s unified network providing robust communications capabilities to the tactical edge.

The Thales CNR, built around the battle-proven AN/PRC-148 handheld family of radios, provides the Army with a crypto-modernized tactical radio solution. The flexible software-defined solution enables the Army to seamlessly replace the legacy RT-1523 fleet of mounted and dismounted radios.

Under this award, Thales will deliver more than 7,000 RT-2129 Tactical Secure Voice Crypto Interoperability Standard (TSVCIS) compliant radios. To date, the Army has ordered more than 8,100 CNRs.

“The Combat Net Radio continues Thales’ tradition of being responsive to emerging needs in support of the warfighter with a next-generation radio that uses existing training, installation kits and system integration to ensure mission readiness,” said Mike Sheehan, CEO, Thales Defense and Security, Inc. “The CNR is designed to easily integrate into the Army’s Integrated Tactical Network and operate reliably under the most extreme conditions.”

Previous contract

On May 16, 2022, Thales announced it was one of two vendors to which the US Army had awarded a $6 billion-ceiling Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to deliver advanced tactical radios under the U.S. Army’s Combat Net Radio (CNR) modernization program. The competitive 10-year contract for the Combat Net Radio (CNR) program includes a five-year base ordering period and an additional five-year optional ordering period. This contract was awarded as part of an effort to retire its outdated Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS).

Under the Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, Thales will deliver a CNR that is based on the AN/PRC-148 Joint Tactical Radio System Enhanced Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (IMBITR) – the latest evolution of a family of battle-proven, tactical voice and data radios.

Defense News October 2023