Thanks to the collaboration between Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) and Lockheed Martin, the Slovak Air Force has become the next customer to receive F-16 aircraft equipped with Rohde & Schwarz secure communications.
The Slovak Air Force will receive 14 F-16 Block 70 Viper aircraft in the mid-2020s. Slovakia will also procure an R&S Universal Radio Test Set to increase support and service capabilities for the air force.
Rohde & Schwarz will provide the AN/ARC-238 Software Defined Radio (SDR), the U.S. government designation for the independent company’s R&S MR6000R/L radios.
According to Stefan Pleyer, Vice President Market Segment Avionics, Rohde & Schwarz, “Our software defined airborne radios are a game changer for any air force that flies the F-16. We are proud that our proven commitment to quality and accountability has been recognized by Lockheed Martin.”
The AN/ARC-238 system consists of two transceivers: a remote controlled transceiver installed in the avionic bay and a transceiver in the cockpit, accessible by a local control panel.
Both transceivers cover the frequency range from 30 MHz to 400 MHz and support the NATO frequency hopping algorithms (TRANSEC) HAVE QUICK II and SATURN.
