Seven African countries are among ten nations to receive Harris tactical communications systems under a US Department of Defence foreign military sales contract.
On 25 September the US Department of Defence said it had awarded Harris Corporation a $65 669 054 firm-fixed-price, incrementally funded foreign military sales contract for Ukraine, Lithuania, Lebanon, Chad, Niger, Mauritania, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Ethiopia covering options for Harris Radio Systems, antennas, BMS software, data terminals, touch tablets, field service representatives, and training for installation, operation and maintenance.
The radios involve include the multiband AN/PRC-152A and AN/PRC-117G. The AN/APRC-152 Multiband Handheld Radio (Harris Falcon III) handheld radio provides simultaneous voice and high-speed data services and is interoperable with narrowband line of sight and SATCOM communications such as SINCGARS, Havequick II, and VHF/UHF AM and FM in the 30-512 MHz range.
The Harris Falcon III AN/PRC-117G(V)1(C) Multiband Networking Manpack Radio covers the 30 MHz to 2 GHz frequency range, and is 30% smaller and 35% lighter than currently fielded multiband manpack radios and operates off a single standard battery.
The US Department of Defence said that work will be performed in Rochester, New York, with an estimated completion date of 30 September 2016. It added that one bid was solicited with one received. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $38 950 534 were obligated at the time of the award.
The contract for the radios comes at the same time as the US Department of Defence contracted American companies to supply trucks, armoured personnel carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles to several African Nations falling under the US Africa Command area of responsibility.
Mack Defense of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $24 974 528 contract to supply 62 armoured personnel carriers to Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tunisia and Uganda. Work will be performed in France with an estimated completion date of 30 December 2016.
Also on 25 September the US Department of Defence announced it had awarded Oshkosh Defense LLC a $21 774 963 modification to an existing foreign military sales contract for Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Tunisia, Uganda and Ethiopia for an additional 84 Medium Tactical Vehicle trucks and 59 B-kits (supplemental armour). The estimated completion date of the truck contract is 28 February 2017.
One of the other contracts awarded late last month include the delivery of one Insitu Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system (comprising multiple aircraft) to Kenya and another to Cameroon. In-country work will be carried out in Nanyuki in central Kenya and the Cameroonian port city of Doula. Both contracts are expected to be completed by September 2016.
