Insitu’s Integrator successfully demonstrates SINCGARS communications relay payload
BINGEN, Wash., Oct. 8 2009 – Insitu Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], and Harris Corporation today announced the successful demonstration of a Single-channel Ground and Airborne UHF/VHF Radio Relay System on the Integrator Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) during a Communications Relay Payload (CRP) test flight in Eastern Oregon. Harris Corporation is one of Insitu’s team members for the small tactical unmanned aircraft system (STUAS)/Tier II competition.
The Integrator UAS, outfitted with a relay based upon the field proven Harris Falcon III (AN/PRC-152) radios, enables mobile ground units to relay voice and data with an extensive end-to-end reach. Communications relay supported by an airborne asset is essential in situations where line of sight obstructions exist. The demonstration represents a culmination of development efforts spanning several years to provide the war fighter with ground communication capabilities.
“Integrator was designed to meet the evolving needs of our customers and is based on the experience Insitu has garnered working in theater over the last five years. We are very pleased that Integrator continues to demonstrate key technologies and capabilities critical to meet the objectives of our customers,” said Insitu Vice President of Emerging Programs Bill Clark.
“Integrating the CRP into the Integrator UAS was easy and very straight forward. The design of the Integrator UAS allows for true ease of payload integration as evidenced in our quick installation, ground checks and flight. I attribute that ease and our success to Integrator’s modular payload design,” said Eric Petkus, advanced programs engineer, Harris Government Communications Systems Division.
The UHF/VHF relay provides a variety of frequencies and waveforms, including Single-Channel Ground-Air Radio System (SINCGARS) and extends the range between users for voice and data communications, including chat text, instant messaging and imagery.
About Insitu
Insitu Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, located in Bingen, Wash., designs, develops and manufactures unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and associated services for commercial and military applications. With a small footprint and expeditionary focus for both land and sea operations, the company’s family of UAS solutions is serving the needs of the global defense community achieving more than 224,000 operational flight hours and 28,600 sorties to date. Visit www.insitu.com for more information.
