Harris unveils new systems

Harris Corp., the U.S. communications equipment company, has introduced the world's first soldier "Smart Radio." The radio is one of two new products being showcased at the Defense and Security Equipment exhibition this week in London. The Harris RF-7800S-LR combines a tactical radio with built-in computer to deliver voice, wideband data and networking and supporting applications such as mapping tools, messaging and video transmission to allow deployed warfighters to send and receive information critical to situational awareness, including the collection and streaming of full-motion video. The Leader Radio offers a variety of input/output options to connect to external devices and serves as the core of the Harris FalconFighter -- a modular soldier system that integrates C4 devices, sensors, networking components and power modules, Harris said. "The Leader Radio provides commanders more capabilities in a smaller and lighter radio while maintaining the impressive range offered by the RF-7800S team radio," said Andy Start, president, International Business, Harris RF Communications. "With the RF-7800S-LR, commanders are connected to every member of their team via secure, digitized voice and data communications. "By combining various technologies into a single device, the RF-7800S-LR dramatically reduces the soldier's load. It is the smallest, lightest and most integrated soldier communication and computing device available on the market today." The Leader Radio is a modular upgrade to the Team Radio. The embedded PDA allows soldiers to remove excess cabling, batteries and weight. The second new product being introduced is the Falcon III RF-7800N-CP Mobile Computing Platform, a ruggedized server designed to host, process and deliver mission-critical communications and multimedia applications when needed in the field. Occupying a small footprint for installation in space-constrained environments, the RF-7800N-CP is a key element in the expanding deployment of network-enabled missions for both military and public safety users. The RF-7800N-CP Mobile Computing Platform utilizes Internet Protocol standards to manage and route data traffic to and from various communication networks. With the RF-7800N-CP users in the field will be able to view streaming video, access databases and other applications that previously would have been out of reach, Harris said. "The MCP reflects a growing demand from our customers for end-to-end solutions that help receive, process, store and retransmit information in real time," Start said. The MCP utilizes standard bus architectures to ensure long-term support and future upgrade flexibility. Its open standard Linux operating system enables hosting of a variety of COTS and custom applications, providing an integrated and versatile communications server for C4ISR and other network-centric communications systems. Harris said its H.264 Video Encoder transforms the MCP into a powerful media collection point that supports common routable interfaces while providing video capture, storage, and real-time playback capabilities. The 160 GB removable, solid-state hard drive provides ample storage for long duration video recording.