The U.S. Marine Corps expects to begin deploying a new multichannel handheld communications system in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024.
USMC awarded L3Harris Technologies a 10-year, $750 million contract in January to manufacture radios and equipment to integrate the system into Humvees and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles.
Marine Corps Systems Command said Wednesday the branch’s program to acquire and field a multichannel radio family of systems is aligned with the Joint All-Domain Command and Control implementation plan developed by the Department of Defense.
“These new radios will provide the fleet with many new options in configuring communications and network pathways while leveraging newer, more secure waveforms,” said Richard Sessions, program manager for communications systems at MARCORSYSCOM.
Sessions estimates the service will save at least $82 million through the contract.
“Beyond that, we’ve negotiated 10 years of support and an agreement to allow our Marines to do Level 3 maintenance without voiding our warranty. That isn’t something a radio vendor has allowed before,” he added.