The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract with a ceiling value of $460 million for the AN/ARC-231/A Multi-mode Aviation Radio Set (MARS). This award consists of hardware components, repair services, engineering and logistic support, and development for rotary-wing aircraft. The MARS system is designed to perform in the most demanding environments to provide warfighters with secure mission-critical information when they need it most.
In today’s complex and contested battlefields, operators rely on fast and accurate communications to inform key decisions in the field. MARS’ programmability reduces the time to field evolving communication needs, special mission modifications, and performance enhancements. The software communications architecture and software-defined radio design enable fielding new capabilities as software-only upgrades.
“We provide communication solutions with scalable software deployment in support of tactical missions where speed and relevance of information matter most,” said Amber Dolan, director of Adaptive Communications and Sensing at BAE Systems. “This airborne radio design enables the U.S. Army to upgrade their rotary-wing fleet with the latest secure waveform that can be tailored for each mission for years to come.”
The AN/ARC-231A MARS system is comprised of the RT-1987 radio with associated ancillaries, including amplifiers and mounting bases. It is the newest generation of multi-band, multi-mission, airborne communications system with Type 1 Crypto Modernization. It’s focused on configurability and allows for flexible integration and mission deployment options that ensure interoperability for joint force operations. Available through foreign military sales, it provides internationally compliant air traffic control communications and full range of mandatory U.S. and NATO capabilities.
With more than 100,000 radios deployed globally, BAE Systems’ battle-proven communications products offer nearly double the reliability of legacy products. The company’s compact radio sets also offer multi-band, secure anti-jam voice, data imagery transmission, and network-capable communications.
The radios will be developed and produced at BAE Systems’ facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with engineering support in Largo, Florida.