WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- Harris Corp. has received a $10 million contract for preliminary design work on the U.S. Army's WIN-T wireless communications system.
The one-year pact announced Monday is part of the lead-up to initial low-rate production of the WIN-T (Warfighter Information Network-Tactical) system that will become the Army's primary means of battlefield communications in the coming years.
The WIN-T program is valued at $10 billion through 2012 with Harris in line for $1 billion worth of transmission system work, the Florida company said in a news release.
"We are extremely pleased to be moving into the design phase of this program, which represents the next generation of communications for 21st century ground forces," said Harris' Dan Pearson. "The successful testing of the Harris transmission system this past November showed that it is an ideal solution for WIN-T."
WIN-T is an integrated communications framework that incorporates the various standards the Army will use to communicate in the field during future operations. The system will be deployed later this decade.
The system handles all of the computer, intelligence, recon and other communications needed at the battalion level in manner that is secure, doesn't require fixed wires and can be accessed while units are on the move. Commanders will be able to communicate via voice, data and video at security levels ranging from unclassified to Top Secret.
