To The Lowest Echelon

Acquisitions are afoot in the Asia-Pacific of new tactical radios. While much activity is kept out of the headlines, a picture of energetic competition involving new and existing products from local and international suppliers is emerging.

- Thomas Withington

Both the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) held in Abu Dhabi in February, and the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition held in late March in the eponymous Malaysian island provided a veritable smorgasbord of opportunities to take stock of the tactical communications market in the Asia-Pacific. Not only had companies brought their wares to exhibit at both events, but several were keen to discuss with AMR their activities in the Asia Pacific region.

For example, LIMA hosted Japan’s NEC, itself heavily involved in the provision of tactical communications to the Japan Ground Self Defence Force (JGSDF). Representatives of the firm shared that the company had commenced deliveries of its Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) (30 megahertz/MHz to 512MHz) Wide band Multipurpose Radio-Vehicle product, and its Wide band Multipurpose Radio-Mobile Type-II handheld and Wide band Multipurpose Radio-Mobile Type-I manpack transceivers all of which form vital components of the JGSDF Field Communication System tactical communications modernisation initiative. The company stated that it commenced deliveries of these radios to the JGSDF in 2012, and that, as of 2017, deliveries were continuing. In terms of data rates, company representatives continued that these radios handle circa 600 kilobits-persecond. A spokesperson added that these radios carry VHF/FM, UHF/FM, VHF/ N-CHR and the option of an ad hoc UHF waveform, and are certified to the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AES-256 encryption level, with the ability to add customer-specified encryption and waveforms as and when required.