Raytheon subsidiary Collins Aerospace has supplied the initial networked communications airborne radio for Poland’s C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft.
The handover followed Warsaw’s decision to procure five surplus Hercules planes from the US in 2021.
The delivery consisted of Collins’ proprietary TruNet AR-1500 software-defined radio, which is capable of receiving and transmitting data through a single channel.
The AR-1500 is built with airborne communication parameters similar to the company’s proven ARC-210 family of products, enabling connectivity between different ground and handheld radios, applications, and services.
Alongside compatibility with legacy radios, the AR-1500 can be operated with non-Collins very and ultra-high frequency devices.
The company wrote that the AR-1500 is designed with the latest software and architecture solutions to amplify communication protection in warfare while maintaining upgrade options for future mission requirements.
“Modernizing Poland’s fleet of Hercules with the AR-1500 will enable the Air Force to communicate securely using the latest NATO standards during future allied missions,” Collins Aerospace’s Ryan Bunge stated.
“The AR-1500 is the only software defined radio that offers L-Band capability on the market today. It provides expanded operations capabilities and delivers the latest in encryption and anti-jam technologies, ensuring customers’ mission success now and as requirements advance in the future.”
Recent Radio Contracts
Collins signed a similar contract last year to provide radio solutions for the US armed forces and its foreign military sales partners.
The $280.4-million deal ordered 8,490 radios, corresponding ancillary equipment, and installation support for over 400 strategic and tactical multi-domain vehicles.
In February 2023, the firm received another $271.6-million contract to ship approximately 2,400 networked communications airborne radios for the US Navy.
In 2022, Collins agreed to deliver ground radios for the US Army to maintain interoperability across the agency’s legacy waveforms.
