Raytheon Awarded Tactical Data Radio Contract

Raytheon Australia has been awarded a contract by Defence Materiel Organisation to deliver enhanced position location reporting systems (EPLRS) and MicroLight radios for Australian Defence Forces (ADF).

The $70m contract is part of Joint Project 2072, a multiphased project to provide the forces with land elements of an integrated battlespace communications system.

Under the contract, Raytheon will provide 1,000 radios to be mounted on army vehicles that include Bushmasters and M113s, as well as handheld portable radio ancillaries, spares, support and training.

The EPLRS and MicroLight are software programmable networking radios that support a broad range of applications, including secured high-speed on-the-move data exchange capabilities over a wide frequency band with effective electronic counter-countermeasures.

The initial deliveries are expected to take place in the first half of 2011.