Army to get high-speed radios

Raytheon Co. will supply high-speed radios that deliver video and data to the Army under a new $12.5 million contract.

The Enhanced Position Location Reporting System Extended Frequency (EPLRS-XF) radio enables more efficient communication in congested battlefield environments, Raytheon officials said.

The EPLRS-XF uses the mobile ad-hoc networked technology to automatically and continually adapt to network changes. The radio provides interoperability and compatibility with IP-based systems and has an extended radio-frequency range and narrow-frequency bandwidth operating modes.

Further technology advances are expected for the radio, including work with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for additional flexibility and capability. More than 22,000 EPLRS radios are currently fielded across the U.S. armed services, company officials said.