General Dynamics DMRs receive software upgrades
General Dynamics has been upgrading its Digital Modular Radios (DMRs) with high-frequency dynamic routing software, the company announced on 4 February. This upgrade will turn the four channels of the DMR to eight virtual channels.
The communications capacity of the DMRs is also being expanded to 16 virtual channels in high-frequency (HF) line-of-sight frequencies and ultra-high frequency satellite communications frequencies.
The US Navy has been using these DMRs in several land-based locations and surface and subsurface ships since 1998. There are over 500 four-channel DMRs in operation across the world.
With these two software upgrades, the navy will be able to quadruple its secure HF communications capacity without installing any additional hardware or changing its shipboard radio room configurations.
The company is also working to integrate DMRs with the new Mobile User Objective Systems (MUOS) communications waveform. The MUOS waveform is needed to connect with the new narrowband MUOS satellite communications system of the military.