Greek Government to Buy General Dynamics Combat Search and Rescue Radios
Purchase Includes 650 AN/PRC-112G™ Radios, Option for 300 More
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jan. 28, 2004 — General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has contracted with Athens, Greece-based TEOTEC S.A. to provide 650 AN/PRC-112G HOOK2™ combat search and rescue (CSAR) radios to the Greek Main Armaments Directorate – General Directorate of Defence Investments for the Hellenic Air Force. The contract includes an option to purchase 300 additional radios.
This latest CSAR radio provides encrypted two-way messaging and GPS-location capabilities to ensure quick, secure location and rescue of downed aircrews and other forces. More than 12,000 of the AN/PRC-112 HOOK2 radios have been delivered to U.S. customers including the Air Force, Army, Navy and Special Forces, plus $12 million worth of radios to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. Overall, more than 27,000 CSAR radios have been manufactured and fielded by the former General Dynamics Decision Systems, which is part of a newly-integrated business unit now known as General Dynamics C4 Systems.
“CSAR radio users are recognizing the benefits of a system that allows them to securely interoperate with friendly rescue forces worldwide,” said Chris Brady, director of Assured Communications Systems at General Dynamics C4 Systems.
General Dynamics’ CSAR system provides direct line-of-sight and over-the-horizon communications between downed personnel and their rescuers, broad communications functionality with manned or unmanned aircraft, and communication with commercial and national search and rescue satellite systems. The latest generation of the company’s CSAR radios is interoperable with earlier General Dynamics survival radios as well as with equipment common to other NATO partners.
TEOTEC S.A. was established in 2001 and is a member of the Theocarakis Group. The company focuses in the areas of modern telecommunication systems as well as applications of new technologies, aiming at a successful participation in the hi-tech projects in Greece.
Orders for General Dynamics HOOK2™ Combat Search and Rescue Radios Exceed 11,000
U.S. Air Force Purchases 744 New Units and Upgrades 1,500 More
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Aug. 19, 2003 — General Dynamics Decision Systems has now sold 11,000 HOOK2™ combat search and rescue (CSAR) radios, thanks to recent U. S. Air Force orders totaling $13 million. These orders include a an order for 744 AN/PRC-112G™ radios from the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command in Langley, Va., the largest U.S. order to date for the field-proven radio.
Through two additional orders, the Air Force also bought upgrades to nearly 1,500 earlier-model AN/PRC-112 radios, to add the global positioning satellite (GPS) location capability and encrypted two-way messaging, features that are inherent in the newer AN/PRC-112G radios. The upgraded radios will be used by the 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and by U.S Air Force units in Europe. Together, these two orders for upgrades are valued at $8.2 million, for work to be completed in September.
“Confidence in the HOOK2 CSAR system has grown tremendously,” said Chris Brady, director of Assured Communications Systems at General Dynamics Decision Systems. “The more our U.S. and foreign customers use our system, the more they value its unique advantages in achieving timely rescues, and the more they seek to equip their personnel with our products.”
General Dynamics’ HOOK2 CSAR system provides line-of-sight and over-the-horizon communications directly between downed personnel and their rescuers through a wide range of aircraft and national assets. The latest generation of the company’s HOOK2 CSAR radios, the AN/PRC-112G, provides encrypted two-way messaging and GPS-location capabilities to help ensure quick, secure location and rescue of downed aircrew and other forces. The radios are interoperable with earlier General Dynamics’ survival radios as well as other NATO and Coalition partner equipment.
General Dynamics has delivered more than 9,300 HOOK2 CSAR radios to U.S. customers, including the Air Force, Army, Marine Corp, Navy and Special Operations Forces, and has delivered $12 million worth of the radios to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence over the past six months. Militaries in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Portugal have also procured HOOK2 radios
General Dynamics Combat Search and Rescue Radios Gaining Wider Appeal
Initial Army order delivered in just 24 hours
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — May 8, 2003 — General Dynamics Decision Systems recently added the U.S. Army to a growing list of military customers who trust the company’s latest HOOK2™ Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) radios, the AN/PRC-112G. Stating that after extensive research and scenario planning its pilots required the best product, the Army’s V Corps Headquarters (currently the corps in charge of ground operations in Iraq) ordered 100 radios for the 3rd Infantry Division out of Ft. Stewart, Ga., the 101 Airborne Division out of Ft. Campbell, Ken. and its own 11th Regiment and 12th Aviation Brigade. The order (which included the companion Quickdraw2™ Interrogator) was sent to the General Services Administration for contracting, and was received, processed, and shipped to the customer by General Dynamics within 24 hours.
General Dynamics’ AN/PRC-112 family of CSAR radios provides encrypted two-way messaging and GPS-location capabilities to units within the Navy, Air Force and Special Forces. These capabilities help the services ensure quick, secure location and rescue of downed air crews and other forces. Overall, General Dynamics has delivered more than 6,000 GPS-enabled CSAR radios, including the AN/PRC-112B1 and AN/PRC-112G models, to U.S. customers.
The AN/PRC-112G radio has also proven popular with international customers, including the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. Over the past five months the U.K. Defence Ministry has ordered $12 million worth of HOOK2 radios and ancillary equipment.
“The AN/PRC-112G radio is both software and hardware upgradeable, allowing customers to quickly and cost-effectively add new features as they are required or become available,” said Chris Brady, director of Assured Communications Systems with General Dynamics Decision Systems. “Software upgrades can be handled in the field, allowing the radios to quickly be returned to service.”
General Dynamics Receives $8 Million UK Order for New Search and Rescue Radios
Exportable, Field-Upgradeable Radio Reduces Life-Cycle Costs and Down Time.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence recently ordered $8 million worth of General Dynamics Decision Systems’ newest Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR) radios, the PRC-112G, which provide downed pilots and search and rescue teams from U.S., NATO and other military forces with a greater level of communication interoperability. General Dynamics Decision Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics.
“Today’s search and rescue missions are often performed in coalition environments so interoperability with allied rescuers is critical. In addition, we supply software and hardware upgradeable solutions so that new features can be added quickly and cost effectively,” said Chris Brady, radio products director for General Dynamics Decision Systems.
Including this order, the UK Ministry of Defence has purchased $10.7 million worth of General Dynamics HOOK2 CSAR equipment during 2002.
General Dynamics Awarded $8.1 Million Contract for Search and Rescue Radio Upgrades
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – General Dynamics Decision Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded an additional order by the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to upgrade AN/PRC-112 survival radios and provide ancillary radio equipment for aircrew search and rescue operations.
Under the contract, General Dynamics will modify the radios to enable two-way encrypted messaging and the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for precise location information. The upgraded radios are called “AN/PRC-112B1” radios and, when used in conjunction with a General Dynamics Quickdraw2Interrogator, provide a powerful, cost-effective over-the-horizon Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) solution for combat aircrews.
“Quickly relaying a survivor’s encrypted text message, identification and GPS-generated location are key contributors to a speedy recovery in a search and rescue operation,” said Loyd Peterson, Aircrew Systems Deputy Program Manager/Naval Air Systems Command. “In addition, the ability to conduct a CSAR mission with more than one secure communication path gives our aircrews a decisive advantage.”
General Dynamics’ Quickdraw2 Interrogators can be hand-carried onto almost any military aircraft, converting them into CSAR platforms by simply connecting the interrogator to the aircraft’s radio and to the pilot’s headset. No aircraft modification is required. Currently operating on rotor, fixed-wing, and manned aircraft, the Quickdraw2 Interrogator relays a downed pilot’s message to other units on the ground or on another aircraft.
General Dynamics to Demonstrate Combat Search and Rescue Solution for Expeditionary Forces Experiment
The HOOK2™ survival radio to be integrated with Global Personnel Recovery System capabilities
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Aug. 6, 2002 — General Dynamics Decision Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), is participating in a U.S. Air Force program to demonstrate the integration of the satellite-based Global Personnel Recovery System (GPRS) into its HOOK2 survival radio to further enhance communication in Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations.
The GPRS-enabled HOOK2 CSAR radio is scheduled to be used at the Air Force Joint Expeditionary Forces Experiment (JEFX) July 25 to Aug. 8, 2002. For demonstration purposes, a HOOK2 radio (also known as the AN/PRC-112B1) will be integrated with GPRS two-way, over-the-horizon capabilities. General Dynamics, in conjunction with Innovative Solutions International, Inc., will show a scenario where a downed airman will be linked, via this radio, to a military command and control center to affect a speedy rescue.
“Adding this GPRS technology to the HOOK2 CSAR radio means shorter recovery times for downed personnel,” said Chris Brady, director of radio products for General Dynamics Decision Systems. “It complements the HOOK2 system’s existing line-of-sight capability by adding another communication option between the pilot and rescue forces.”
Because GPRS is satellite-based technology, the HOOK2 radio used in the demonstration will have access to greater security, global coverage and additional options for location information. In addition, its increased transmission capacity will let the GPRS support more transmissions via a broad constellation of satellites, allowing it to be used for locating and communicating with friendly forces or “Blue Force” tracking.
Downed personnel can communicate by line-of-sight using the “HOOK” waveform, or over-the-horizon through a GPRS-enabled satellite to an OperationsCenter or base station.
Additionally, Major Carl Hickey of the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Test Center and his team lead theeffort to field low-cost, off-the-shelf improvements to Air Force systems. Their mission is to improve the combatcapability of aircraft. After testing the AN/PRC-112B1 radio and Quickdraw2 interrogator Hickey said, "Having the [location/status] information is very important as we require the ability to constantly update the survivor's position particularly when he/she is on the move. We were able to conduct the entire CSAR mission without voice communications."