BATCM/0322 - Multi-Mode Radio (MMR)

The aim of the Multi-Mode Radio (MMR) project is to maintain Tactical Satellite (TacSAT) and Ground-to-Air (G2A) capabilities post-2023 and set the conditions for a transition to and integration with the future MORPHEUS radio capabilities.

The MOD has a requirement for National Security Agency (NSA) accredited Handheld and Manpack software-defined combat net radios capable of operating at SECRET across a broad range of military frequency bands (30MHz to 1.8GHz) delivering voice and data communication across the following modes of operation: Ground to Air; Ground to Ground - Line of Sight; Ground to Ground – Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET); and Ground to Ground - Beyond Line of Sight.

In order to support interoperability between NATO and FVEY Partners, the radios are likely to require (but will not be limited to) the following waveform capabilities: HAVEQUICK II; Second-generation Anti-jam Tactical UHF radios for NATO (SATURN); Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS); Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA); Integrated Waveform (IW) 2; and TSM.

To achieve secure communications, the radios will be capable of using various cryptographic standards, which are likely to include (but will not be limited to): VINSON Advanced Narrowband Digital Voice Terminal (ANDVT), Tactical Secure Voice Cryptographic Interoperability Specification (TSVCIS), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256.

The radios will be operated on the soldier (dismounted) whilst deployed worldwide on battlefield missions of 72+hrs without support, which will require the following system attributes: long battery life, minimum size, weight and power, low/no maintenance, no special tools or test equipment and include ancillaries.

The radios will be configurable locally or remotely allowing users to load new mission fills and load or purge cryptographic keys.

The Manpack radio will be able to integrate within the MORPHEUS Evolve to Open (EvO) System Baseline. MORPHEUS Evolve to Open (EvO) is the first instantiation of Defence as a Platform (DaaP) in the tactical environment.