Harris Corporation, an international communications and information technology company, has received Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Certification for its Harris Falcon III® AN/PRC-117G multiband manpack radio operating SRW v1.01.1.

As a JTRS-certified product, the AN/PRC-117G is considered compliant with the standards set forth by the JPEO JTRS and proven to be compatible with the Department of Defense network objectives.

JTRS Certification is part of an emerging process designed to enable competition while facilitating the development of tactical networks that are low-risk, secure and interoperable.

To become JTRS certified, a tactical device must fulfill seven separate requirements, including testing or certifications for waveform conformance and Joint Interoperability Test Center interoperability, National Security Agency information security, programmable cryptography, National Telecommunications and Information Administration spectrum compliance and Software Communications Architecture compliance.

The JPEO JTRS process is designed as an interoperability and security risk reduction effort to characterize JTRS waveforms operating on a specific Software Defined Radio (SDR).

"JTRS certification is a major milestone for Harris, JTRS and the DoD. It establishes the AN/PRC-117G as a certified product that meets JTRS and DoD standards in the growing market for wideband tactical radio systems,"' said George Helm, President, Department of Defense business, Harris RF Communications.

"The JTRS certification process enables DoD customers to select, from a number of suppliers, the radio that is best suited for their specific mission. The certification requirements established will ensure that standards of interoperability, security and software reuse are maintained across the industry. Further, the process will help to open up competition to drive down costs, accelerate new products to market and foster innovation to better address the needs of the warfighter. We are very pleased that the AN/PRC-117G is the first Non-Developmental Item (NDI), and the first Harris product, to receive JTRS Certification, positioning it well to continue delivering on the DoD vision for a networked battlefield," Helm added.

"The process to characterize our [JTRS] waveforms operating on Program of Record and NDI SDRs is a critical step for the Department of Defense to ensure an acceptable level of risk for interoperability, security and open standards. Harris is the first to achieve this designation with the SRW waveform. It will certainly enhance a services' ability to compete their SDR requirements and select a product that has been proven to meet an acceptable level of risk for interoperability and security - while maintaining non-proprietary open standards," said Brig. General Michael Williamson, JPEO JTRS.