Date: 08 Oct 2003
Time: 12:36
General Dynamics Decision Systems has now sold 11,000 Hook2 combat search and rescue (CSAR) radios, thanks to recent U. S. Air Force orders totalling US$13 million. These orders include a US$4.8 million order for 744 AN/PRC-112G radios from the U. S. Air Force Air Combat Command in Langley, Va., the largest U.S. order to date for the radio.
Through two additional orders, the Air Force also bought upgrades to nearly 1,500 earlier-model AN/PRC-112 radios, to add the global positioning satellite (GPS) location capability and encrypted two-way messaging, features inherent in the newer AN/PRC-112G radios. The upgraded radios will be used by the 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and by U.S Air Force units in Europe. Together, these two orders for upgrades are valued at US$8.2 million.
The Hook2 CSAR system provides line-of-sight and over-the-horizon communications directly between downed personnel and their rescuers through a wide range of aircraft and national assets. The latest generation of the company’s CSAR radios, the AN/PRC-112G, provides encrypted two-way messaging and GPS-location capabilities to help ensure quick, secure location and rescue of downed aircrew and other forces. The radios are interoperable with earlier General Dynamics’ survival radios as well as other NATO and Coalition partner equipment.
General Dynamics has delivered more than 9,300 Hook2 CSAR radios to U.S. customers, including the Air Force, Army, Marine Corp, Navy and Special Operations Forces, and has delivered US $12 million worth of the radios to the UK Ministry of Defence over the past six months. Militaries in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Portugal have also procured Hook2 radios.