AN/PRC-117

The AN/PRC-117 translates to "Army/Navy, Portable, Radio, Communication". It is a man-portable, tactical software-defined combat-net radio, manufactured by Harris Corporation, in two different versions:

• AN/PRC-117F Falcon II MBMMR^[1] (Multiband Multimission Manpack Radio), also referred to as AN/PRC-117F-MP, covering the 30-512 MHz frequency range, provided without an internal GPS (optionally an external commercial GPS can be connected, or a GPS SAASM as a PLGR (Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver) or a DAGR (Defense Advanced GPS Receiver);^[2]
• AN/PRC-117G Falcon III MNMR^[3] (Multiband Networking Manpack Radio), also referred to as AN/PRC-117G-MP, covering the 30-2000 MHz frequency range, and provided with internal SAASM GPS (optionally an external commercial GPS can be connected).^[4]

AN/PRC-117G manpack radio

Both radios have NSA certification for the transmission of voice and data traffic up to the Top Secret level.^[5]

The designation AN/PRC signifies "Army Navy / Portable Radio Communications" and is based on the Joint Electronics Type Designation System guidelines. The radios are also provided in a vehicular configuration under the AN/VRC-103 nomenclature.

Users

A PRC-117 radio and SATCOM antenna

The AN/PRC-117F/G radio is currently in use with the United States Navy Seabee and EOD teams in their MRAP and JERRV vehicles.^[2] The radio is also in use by the United States Marine Corps,^[6] United States Army,^[7] USSOCOM,^[8] United States Coast Guard, United States Air Force,^[9] Royal Air Force,^[10] Dutch Army, Spanish Air Force, British Army, Norwegian Armed Forces, Danish Army, Croatian Army^[11] Canadian Armed Forces and German Armed Forces.^[12]

The radio is part of an Over-the-horizon Satellite Communications and Improved Dual Command and Control Console system recognized by the US Army as a Top 10 Invention in 2005.^[13]

The radio has also been embedded in remote mine hunting systems for the US Navy.^[14]

Specifications

AN/PRC-117F

AN/PRC-117G in the National Cryptologic Museum

General

• Frequency Range: 30 MHz to 2 GHz
• Presets: 100 (110 including DAMA)
• Transmission Modes: FM, AM, PSK, CPM
• Tuning Resolution: 10 Hz
• Model: RT-1796 (P)(C)/U

Transmitter

• Output Power: 1 W to 20 W
• Harmonic Suppression: –40 dBc
• Frequency Stability: +/- 1.0 ppm

Receiver

• FM Sensitivity -118 dBm (10 dB SINAD)
• Adjacent Channel Rejection 60 dB

Interoperability

• Fill devices: AN/CYZ-10 DTD, AN/PYQ-10 SKL (Supports DS-101, DS-102 and Mode 2/3)
• Crypto Modes KY-57, ANDVT/KYV-5, KG-84C, FASCINATOR
• Radios
  • AN/PRC-152
  • AN/PRC-148
  • AN/PRC-119A/B/G
  • AN/PRC-113
  • AN/PRC-77
  • AN/PSC-5
  • Other versions of the AN/PRC-117

Interfaces

• External Data: RS-232, MIL-STD-188-114A
• Remote control: RS-232, RS-422
• Antenna ports: Separate VHF, VHF-HI/UHF
• Audio: Six-pin Standard
• Power: Two BA-5590, BB-390A/U, BB-2590, or BB-590 batteries^[15]

Physical Dimensions

• AN/PRC-117G
  • 3.7H x 7.4W x 8.8D in. (w/o battery case)
  • Weight 8.2 lbs (without batteries)
    • 12 lbs with batteries^[16]

Environmental

• Temperature: -40 °C to 70 °C
• Immersion: 1 Meter
• Test Method: MIL-STD-810E
• Finish: CARC Green

Key Features

• Removable keypad display unit
• Full numeric keypad
• NVG compatible display
• External GPS - DAGR, PLGR, and NMEA 0183 compatible
• MELP

Waveforms

Line of Sight

• VHF/UHF AM/FM
• SINCGARS ECCM
• HAVE QUICK II ECCM
• ANW2 - Advanced Networking Wideband Waveform (Harris)
• SRW Soldier Radio Waveform ^[16]
• NATO SATURN waveform, per NATO STANAG 4372 - optional ^[16]

SATCOM

• MIL-STD-188-181-B/C
• MIL-STD-188-182-A
• MIL-STD-188-183-A/B
• Integrated Waveform (IW)
• High performance waveform (HPW) optional
• Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) - optional^[16]

See also

• AN/PRC-152
• AN/PRC-150
• AN/PRC-148
• AN/PRC-119
• AN/PRC-113
• List of military electronics of the United States

References

1. "AN/PRC-117F(C) MULTIBAND, MULTIMISSION RADIO Data Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-31.
2. "U.S. Navy Awards Harris Corporation $16 Million Contract for Falcon II and Falcon III Radios". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2007-05-22.
3. "AN/PRC-117G(V)1(C) type-1 WIDEBAND MULTIBAND MULTIMISSION radio WITH INTERNAL SAASM GPS data sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
4. "L3Harris Fast. Forward".
5. Harris Corporation Receives NSA and DAMA Certification for Falcon II Multiband/Multimission Radios
6. "Harris Corporation Awarded Potential $205 Million Contract For U.S. Marine Corps MBMMR Radio Standardization Program". 2005-10-16. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11.
7. "Harris Corporation Awarded $46 Million Contract from the U.S. Army for Falcon II AN/PRC-117F(C) Multiband Multimission Radios". 2006-10-13. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11.
8. NDM Article - Joint Tactical Radio Expected To Meet Special-Warfare Needs Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
9. NDM Article - Air-Strike Coordinators Need Lighter Equipment Archived 2008-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
10. https://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/portable-radio-communication-prc.cfm Archived 2017-04-25 at the Wayback Machine Portable Radio Communication PRC
11. "Home". hrvatski-vojnik.hr.
12. DND/CF Backgrounder- Army Equipment for Operation ARCHER Archived April 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
13. "US Army Awards for Top 10 Inventions of 2005". Archived from the original on 2007-06-21. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
14. NDM Article - Navy Mine Hunting System Gets Long-Range Data Link Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
15. "AN/PRC-117F(C)-HQ GROUND-TO-AIR HAVEQUICK I/II RADIO" (PDF). ZSIS (Croatia's Information Systems Security Bureau). Harris Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
16. "L3HARRIS FALCON III AN/PRC-117G(V)1(C) Multiband Networking Manpack Radio" (PDF). L3Harris. July 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.

External links

• Media related to AN/PRC-117 at Wikimedia Commons