In telecommunication, a combat-net radio (CNR) is a radio operating in a network that (a) provides a half-duplex circuit and (b) uses either a single radio frequency or a discrete set of radio frequencies when in a frequency hopping mode.
Communications security is the discipline of preventing unauthorized interceptors from accessing telecommunications in an intelligible form, while still delivering content to the intended recipients.
MIL-STD-188 is a series of U.S. military standards relating to telecommunications.
AN/PRC 77 Radio Set is a manpack, portable VHF FM combat-net radio transceiver manufactured by Associated Industries and used to provide short-range, two-way radiotelephone voice communication. In the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), AN/PRC translates to "Army/Navy, Portable, Radio, Communication."
Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) is a very high frequency combat-net radio (CNR) used by U.S. and allied military forces. In the CNR network, the SINCGARS’ primary role is voice transmission between surface and airborne command and control assets.
The National Security Agency took over responsibility for all U.S. Government encryption systems when it was formed in 1952. The technical details of most NSA-approved systems are still classified, but much more about its early systems have become known and its most modern systems share at least some features with commercial products.
The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) aimed to replace existing radios in the American military with a single set of software-defined radios that could have new frequencies and modes (“waveforms”) added via upload, instead of requiring multiple radio types in ground vehicles, and using circuit board swaps in order to upgrade. JTRS has seen cost overruns and full program restructurings, along with cancellation of some parts of the program. JTRS is widely seen as one of the DoD's greatest acquisition failures, having spent $6B over 15 years without delivering a radio.
HAVE QUICK is an ECM-resistant frequency-hopping system used to protect military aeronautical mobile (OR) radio traffic.
The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System (AN System. JAN) and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Department during World War II for assigning an unclassified designator to electronic equipment. In 1957, the JETDS was formalized in MIL-STD-196.
Secure voice is a term in cryptography for the encryption of voice communication over a range of communication types such as radio, telephone or IP.
Bowman is the name of the tactical communications system used by the British Armed Forces.
A High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) is a Type 1 encryption device that complies with the National Security Agency's HAIPE IS. The cryptography used is Suite A and Suite B, also specified by the NSA as part of the Cryptographic Modernization Program. HAIPE IS is based on IPsec with additional restrictions and enhancements. One of these enhancements includes the ability to encrypt multicast data using a "preplaced key". This requires loading the same key on all HAIPE devices that will participate in the multicast session in advance of data transmission. A HAIPE is typically a secure gateway that allows two enclaves to exchange data over an untrusted or lower-classification network.
The AN/PRC-148 Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) is the most widely fielded handheld multiband, tactical software-defined radio, used by NATO forces around the world. The radio is built by Thales Communications, a subsidiary of the France-based Thales Group. The designation AN/PRC translates to Army/Navy Portable Radio used for two way Communications, according to Joint Electronics Type Designation System guidelines.
The AN/PRC-150(C) Falcon II Manpack Radio, is a tactical HF-SSB/ VHF-FM manpack radio manufactured by Harris Corporation. It holds an NSA certification for Type 1 encryption. The PRC-150 is the manpack HF radio for the Harris Falcon II family of radios, introduced in the early 2000's.
The AN/PRC-153 is the Joint Electronics Type Designation System designation for the US military version of the Motorola XTS-2500i secure handheld 2-way radio, known as the Integrated, Intra-Squad Radio (IISR) within the US Marine Corps. Its intended purpose is squad-level communications during urban warfare. The USMC ordered 60,000 radios to be used until replaced by the more complex Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) cluster 5 spiral 2 radio in 2013. However, JTRS was cancelled in October 2011, and thus the PRC-153 continues to serve. The IISR is a Motorola XTS 2500i with embedded encryption module to provide secure voice communications. The embedded encryption module is identical to that of the commercially available XTS 2500 modules, and supports DES and AES encryption algorithms. As such, it is not classified as a Controlled Cryptographic Item (CCI).
The AN/PRC-117 translates to "Army/Navy, Portable, Radio, Communication". It is a man-portable, tactical software-defined combat-net radio, manufactured by Harris Corporation, in two different versions:
The Advanced Narrowband Digital Voice Terminal (ANDVT) is a secure voice terminal for low bandwidth secure voice communications throughout the U.S. Department of Defense. Devices in the ANDVT family include the AN/USC-43 Tactical Terminal (TACTERM), the KY-99A Miniaturized Terminal (MINTERM), and the KY-100 Airborne Terminal (AIRTERM). ANDVT uses LPC-10 voice compression.
Barrett Communications is a specialist manufacturer and supplier of commercial high frequency (HF), tactical HF and very high frequency (VHF) communications equipment. Its head office for design and manufacturing is located in Perth, Western Australia. Barrett was acquired by Motorola Solutions in 2022.
The AN/PRC-163 Multi-channel Handheld Radio, is a dual-channel tactical handheld radio manufactured by L3Harris Technologies, Inc. for the U.S. military, referred to by the U.S. Army as the Leader Radio. It is capable modes such as VHF/UHF Line-of-Sight (VULOS), SINCGARS, Soldier Radio Waveform, Tactical Scalable MANET, P25 as well as the Mobile User Objective System satellite communication mode. The dual channel capability allows a soldier to simultaneously communicate on two separate radio networks. It has received NSA certification for the transmission of Top Secret information with an appropriate encryption key. The PRC-163 is one of the Handheld, Manpack & Small Form Fit (HMS) components of the Integrated Tactical Network family of radios, the U.S. Army's modernization strategy for tactical radios. It is a member of L3Harris' Falcon IV family of tactical radios, and the successor to the Falcon III-family AN/PRC-152 Multiband Handheld Radio.
