Due to strong industry interest in the Army’s first radio procurement stemming from the Network Integration Exercises (NIE) and Acquisition Agile Process, the service plans an Industry day for April 11 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
The Army plans to buy some 5,000 of the single-channel vehicle-mounted Soldier Radio Waveform Applique. The operational need for the radios was confirmed by the NIE.
A smaller number of radios will be fielded as part of Capability Set 13, the first integrated group of network technologies that will be fielded to brigade combat teams starting in 2013.
Industry representatives will be able to talk about the acquisition timeline and “performance work statement” released April 3.
What the Army learns from the day will inform its approach to the work as well as the forthcoming request for proposals so it reflects current technology and incorporates it quickly to fill a capability gap. The service expects this approach to save money and accelerate network modernization in a way it could not do before.
The Army received 10 responses to the February sources sought notice for the Soldier Radio Waveform Applique.
The radios, running the Joint Tactical Radio Systems Soldier Radio Waveform, are able to pass information between squad and team-level Rifleman radio and the Army’s larger tactical communications network. This ability increases situation awareness.
The SRW Applique is expected to be an interim solution until the two-channel vehicle mounted component of the JTRS Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) family of radios is approved for fielding. The Rifleman Radio is also part of the HMS program.
The industry day will be hosted by the Program executive Office for Command, Control Communications-Tactical (PEO-C3T), product manager Network Systems (PdM NS).
The government notice can be found at: www.fbo.gov.