Thales Defense & Security, Inc. has secured an order for up to 5,000 Low Cost Data Architecture Radio Adaptable Transport platforms, delivering a communications capability the Army conceived, developed and fielded in under four months.
The LOCODA RAT platform modernizes voice and data communications across U.S. Army vehicle platforms by reusing existing radio mounts and supporting a wide range of radios and mission modules. Soldiers get secure, flexible connectivity that can be updated as threats and missions evolve.
“The Army doesn’t have time to wait for capability, and with the Thales LOCODA RAT solution, they didn’t have to,” said Gary Kidwell, vice president of communications systems at TDSI. “In less than four months, we moved from concept to field-ready, providing a reliable, adaptable communications capability. This is about giving warfighters immediate access to secure, flexible voice and data connectivity that can adapt as quickly as the missions and the threat.”
Built on a commercial off-the-shelf and non-developmental item approach, LOCODA RAT supports single-channel, multi-channel and multi-transport operational modes with standardized interfaces for power, GPS, audio and data. It’s compatible with multiple vendors across TSM radios, supports AES-256 encryption and integrates third-party systems and intercom functionality.
Using the TrellisWare TSM MANET waveform, the platform provides Sensitive But Unclassified-Encrypted voice and data communications across both wideband and narrowband radio waveforms. Its modular architecture allows simultaneous embedding of additional radios, amplifiers and mission modules to extend range and expand transport options.
The order supports the Army’s broader push to modernize tactical communications with solutions built for distributed operations in contested environments.