Northrop Grumman-built SmartNode Pod has successfully demonstrated its ability to enhance performance of the US Army’s High Antenna for Radio Communications (HARC) system during a series of ground and flight tests at Mojave Desert in California, US.

In July, the SmartNode Pod operating from the company’s Firebird unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) enabled HARC to network with other ground radio systems. This established a unified network functioning across varied networks, including currently fielded legacy systems and radios, which are based on new waveforms.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all
"The SmartNode Pod provides a powerful ‘platform-agnostic’ capability without the significant cost of platform integration."

Northrop Grumman Information Systems network communications systems vice president Claude Hashem said the commanders required a locally controlled airborne network, enabling a battlefield airborne communications node (BACN), such as information sharing at the tactical edge of battlefield.

"The SmartNode Pod provides a powerful ‘platform-agnostic’ capability without the significant cost of platform integration," Hashem added.

Derived from BACN technology, the SmartNode Pod is an airborne communication system designed to provide critical range extension and gateway capabilities in a form factor, which can be controlled even by the lowest ranking commanders.

See Also:

The pod is primarily intended for use on a range of aircraft that are required to support the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) proposed Joint Aerial Layer Network (JALN) high-capacity communications management system.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Developed by the Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC), the HARC is an advanced system featuring six antennas on an aerostat capable of networking to ground radios using a fibre-optical link.

The system provides the commanders with network connectivity even in adverse conditions and areas where the line-of-sight communications are obstructed by mountainous terrain or urban canyons.