US Army selects Harris HNR for first battlefield deployment of system to Iraq
7 October 2008
By David Jones
US-based Harris has announced that its Highband Networking Radio system will be deployed to the US Army 101st Airborne Assault Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team currently assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in its role as Multi-National Division-Baghdad. Terms of the Harris contract were not provided.
According to the company, the 4th Infantry Division will play a critical role in supporting the integration of the Highband Networking Radio (HNR) into Multi-National Division-Baghdad (MND-B) network architecture. Harris will supply the radios to contract holder GTSI Corporation, an IT services supplier to the US government. The Highband Networking Radio system was co-developed with BAE Systems.
The 15 radio systems will provide high-bandwidth, on-the-move communications for the 101st 2nd Brigade Combat Team while deployed to Iraq. The contract also includes accessories and field support services. The combat team will use the Highband Networking Radio systems for wireless backbone connectivity among battalion and brigade command posts, company outposts, and joint-security stations. The radios will be integrated with the Joint Network Transport Capability-Spiral, a component of the Army's battlefield communications solution. BAE Systems' EZ Radio Manager software will provide interactive monitoring and control of the Highband Networking Radio network, showing radio mobility link status, location, network topology, and throughput.
Wes Covell, president of Harris Defense Programs, said: "This first combat field deployment represents a significant milestone in the Highband Networking Radio, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to support the 101st Airborne with the benefits of this advanced networking system. The radio's strong performance in previous military exercises and its proven ability to integrate with multiple networking architectures ensure that it can work with legacy systems and advanced networks as it supports new communications technologies."