Sapura Thales Electronics unveils new military VHF radio

Sapura Thales Electronics (STE) has announced the launch of second generation military VHF radio, the TRC 5200, at the 2019 LIMA exhibition in Malaysia.

Launched by Malaysia Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, TRC 5200 VHF tactical handheld radio has been completely designed and developed in Malaysia by STE.

The radio is equipped with AES256 ciphered frequency and offers more than 12 hours of autonomy.

Additionally, the device features a built-in global positioning system with Blue Force Tracking that supports the armed forces with live asset tracking and communication.

It also has a skipping frequency mode (SKF) included to escape the jammers.

Field trials for TRC 5200 were conducted in various countries worldwide, including Malaysia. The radio will be available in markets across the globe by the third quarter of this year.

Thales Malaysia country director Thomas Pistre said: “Thales is excited to launch the new generation ‘Made in Malaysia’ radios with STE. It is a clear demonstration not only of our commitment to Malaysia’s human capital development but also how our expertise and solutions are aligned with the country’s ambitions.

“We have been working closely with our key industry partners and customers to help deepen the skills and knowledge of the local workforce and we look forward to even greater collaborations in the future, as we fulfil our offset obligations in the country.”

A total of 5,000 STE first-generation handheld radios were purchased by customers in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America.

Based on the first-generation radio’s track record, the company estimates a sale of nearly 10,000 units of the TRC 5200 within the next five years.

Established in 1996, STE is a joint venture between the Malaysian conglomerate Sapura and French multinational company Thales.