AN/PRC-119

AN/PRC-119
Name	AN/PRC-119
Origin	United States
Type	Manpack radio
Designer	Raytheon
Manufacturer	Raytheon

AN/PRC-119

The AN/PRC-119 is a manpack tactical radio system designed for shortwave and ultra high frequency voice and data communications. It was developed to provide secure, frequency-hopping, and anti-jam capabilities for brigade- to battalion-level units, and has seen use in multiple theaters, operations, and exercises. The system has been integrated with various command-and-control networks, interoperates with legacy and allied radios, and supports cryptographic modules and waveform upgrades.

Design and Development

Design and development of the radio were led by Raytheon engineers working with requirements from the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and NATO partners such as the United Kingdom and France. Development drew on prior work from projects like the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), the Have Quick program, and research conducted at institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Naval Research Laboratory. Testing and evaluation involved units from the 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, and Marine Expeditionary Units, as well as interoperability trials with the Bundeswehr, Royal Australian Army, Canadian Army, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Certification processes included standards from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, United States Department of Defense, and Federal Communications Commission guidelines for frequency allocation. Design objectives emphasized robustness exemplified by MIL-STD environmental testing, electrical reliability validated by General Dynamics subcontract assessments, and user ergonomics informed by Soldier Systems Center feedback.

Technical Specifications

The radio operates across frequency bands compatible with VHF and UHF allocations and supports frequency hopping derived from algorithms similar to those used in NATO waveforms. Cryptographic support includes integration with AN/CYZ-10-based fill devices and Type 1 encryption modules authorized by the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency for secure links in coalition operations. Power systems conform to MIL-STD-1275 and include rechargeable battery packs tested by Amphenol connectors certified under MIL-DTL standards. Hardware components incorporated ruggedized RF amplifiers, synthesized frequency control, and software-defined elements influenced by early radio research at Stanford Research Institute and Bell Labs. Environmental tolerance matched MIL-STD-810 trials used by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, while electromagnetic compatibility considerations referenced tests at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Operational Use

Units employed the radio in operations such as Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and numerous NATO exercises including Exercise Trident Juncture and Exercise Combined Endeavor. Tactical headquarters in brigade combat teams, forward observer teams, and aviation units used the radio alongside systems fielded by the United States Air Force, United States Navy, Royal Air Force, and Royal Canadian Air Force for air-ground coordination. Integration with command posts occurred alongside command suites from General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin, and it supported interoperability with systems used by the German Bundeswehr, French Army, Polish Land Forces, and Spanish Ejército de Tierra. Logistics chains were managed in coordination with Defense Logistics Agency networks and NATO Support and Procurement Agency frameworks. Field maintenance was performed by units trained at Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, and Marine Corps Base Quantico, with technical assistance provided by Raytheon service teams.

Variants and Upgrades

Over time the platform received upgrades to support newer waveforms and digital data modes influenced by developments at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and Draper Laboratory. Variants incorporated improved RF front ends from BAE Systems components, enhanced encryption adaptors meeting NSA directives, and user interfaces refined with input from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Some configurations added satellite communications handoffs in cooperation with Inmarsat and Iridium gateway testing, while others were adapted for airborne use on helicopters and transport aircraft such as the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Upgrades parallel to initiatives at the Defense Information Systems Agency and Army Future Combat Systems interoperability studies enabled networked operation with Blue Force Tracking architectures developed by Raytheon and SAIC.

Users and Deployment History

Primary users included formations of the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence units, Canadian Armed Forces brigades, and Australian Defence Force contingents. Export and allied sales reached forces in NATO members including Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, as well as partner states such as Japan, South Korea, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. Deployments occurred in theaters across the Middle East, Balkans, Horn of Africa, and Pacific Rim during multinational operations involving the North Atlantic Council, United Nations missions, and coalition task forces. Training and doctrine were promulgated through institutions like the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, British Defence Academy, and Canadian Forces College.

Accessories and Integration

Accessories supplied for the radio included rechargeable battery packs, vehicular adapters for platforms like the M1 Abrams and M2 Bradley, antenna systems from Cobham and L3Harris, and cryptographic fill devices interoperable with AN/CYZ-10 and KIV-7 units produced by SecureData and Harris Corporation. Integration kits allowed mounting on vehicles supported by logistics from the Defense Contract Management Agency and included datalinks compatible with systems from Elbit Systems, Thales Group, and Leonardo S.p.A. Ancillary items such as protective cases from Pelican Products, test sets from Fluke Corporation, and training simulators developed by Cubic Corporation rounded out the support ecosystem.

Category:Military radio systems