Why are old radio stations no longer trending?
If in the 90s a regular radio was enough for the "arrived at the point" report, now the picture is different. Modern battlefields are not only bullets and missiles, but also dense electronic warfare. Enemy systems jam frequencies, determine location by signal, and simulate transmissions. Older radio stations operating on fixed bands are becoming easy targets.
The US Army understood this. And now it's changing all helicopter communications to something smarter and more resilient.
MARS AN/ARC-231A is not just a communication, but a real—time adaptation
The new MARS (Multifunctional Advanced Radio System) AN/ARC-231A radio station from BAE Systems is not just a "voice transmission". It is a software-defined system that can change frequencies, modes, and protocols on the go. Imagine: a helicopter enters an area with strong interference — the radio station itself switches to a clear band, changes power, masks the signal.
It supports secure communication, operates in the UHF/VHF bands, is compatible with existing systems and, most importantly, allows you to transmit not only voice, but also data — coordinates, maps, video.
How a software-defined radio station works
The bottom line is that the hardware remains the same, but the brains are in the program. Instead of physically reconfiguring the circuit, the radio station changes its behavior using software. It's like a phone: it doesn't change the antenna when you switch from 4G to Wi-Fi, but just switches inside.
The AN/ARC-231A is able to work in conditions of strong signal suppression, use frequency hopping (FHSS), encrypt the channel, and even synthesize speech for automatic messages. All this is in one compact unit, which is already being installed on UH—60, CH-47, AH-64 and other machines.
Why is it necessary in battle
In a real mission, every second counts. The pilot cannot wait for the connection to "get better." He must speak, see, and transmit data — immediately and without interruption. MARS provides exactly this: a stable channel that does not disappear due to interference and does not give away the location.
In addition, when all helicopters are connected to one modern communication platform, they begin to work as a single network. One noticed the target and passed it on to the others. One came under fire — the system automatically redirects traffic. It's not just a connection anymore — it's part of a combat network.
Sources
- Defence Industry Europe — U.S. Army deploys BAE Systems’ advanced MARS radios
- Military Embedded — radio communications set fielded on U.S. Army rotary-wing craft
- Wikipedia — AN/ARC-231
- BAE Systems — mission-critical software-defined radios for rotary-wing fleet
- BAE Systems — AN/ARC-231A RT-1987 datasheet (PDF)
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