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Exelis SideHat radio to be tested by US Army
[October 13, 2014]

Exelis SideHat radio to be tested by US Army


FORT WAYNE, Ind. --(Business Wire)--

The U.S. Army Contracting Command has awarded Exelis (NYSE: XLS) a task order to deliver a limited quantity of SideHat® SRW (Solidier Radio Waveform) Applique radios for evaluation. SideHat provides a critical networking capability specifically developed for the vehicular electromagnetic and physical environment experienced on the battlefield.

The task order was from an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract awarded to the company in April for the specific purpose of providing SRW applique radios.

This testing is expected to enable the US military to obtain the required Material Release for SRW applique fielding. The Exelis SideHat will host SRW, a waveform developed by Exelis that operates in the UHF and L-Band frequency ranges and provides an affordable second channel solution to Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS) vehicular radio installations.



SideHat was also designed for easy integration and common user interfaces with the widely fielded SINCGARS radio, the primary tactical communications backbone manufactured by Exelis for the Army. SINCGARS with SideHat and SRW delivers a system solution with up to four channels (two SRW and two VHF). It enables dismounted soldiers to communicate with both voice and data to mounted soldiers in vehicles within a larger network.

"The Exelis SideHat provides a robust and efficient solution, built upon existing Army capabilities, to help develop and grow the Army's future tactical network," said Nick Bobay, president of the Exelis Night Vision and Communications Solutions division. "We've delivered more than 400,000 'SideHat-ready' SINCGARS radios to the Army and developed the Soldier Radio Waveform. As the developer and producer of these other key network components, we bring a unique capability and skill set needed to deliver and integrate an SRW applique into the existing network architecture."


Since its development, SideHat has been successfully used in multiple operational experiments to test SRW functionality. Those efforts have included the Command, Control, Communications Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance On-The-Move at Fort Dix, New Jersey, the Air Assault Expeditionary Force and Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the Bold Quest Exercise at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

About Exelis

Exelis is a diversified, top-tier global aerospace, defense and information solutions company that leverages a 50-year legacy of deep customer knowledge and technical expertise to deliver affordable, mission-critical solutions for global customers. We are a leader in positioning and navigation, sensors, air traffic management solutions, image processing and distribution, communications and information systems, and focused on strategic growth in the areas of critical networks, ISR and analytics, electronic warfare and composite aerostructures. Headquartered in McLean, Va., Exelis employs approximately 10,000 people and generated 2013 sales of $4.8 billion. For more information, visit our website at www.exelisinc.com or connect with us on Facebook (News - Alert), Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.


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