Thales eyes UK Dismounted Situational Awareness programme

Thales UK DSA offering on display at the 2023 Future Soldier Technology Conference. Synaps (left), AN/PRC-148E Spear (middle), and SquadNet radio (right). (Janes/Olivia Savage)

Thales intends to pitch its tactical radios for the UK Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA) Tactical Radio Sub-Lot competition.

Depending on the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) requirements, the company will present its SquadNet, Javelin, AN/PRC-148E Spear, or Synaps handheld radio for the Tactical Radio Sub-Lot competition, Ciaran McCloskey, product line manager for tactical products at Thales, told Janes at SAE Media Group’s 2023 Future Soldier Technology Conference, held from 6 to 8 March.

If the MoD and the British Army dictate that they require a “flat network approach, 120 radios or users within a net, the company can offer their SquadNet or Javelin radio”. On the other hand, for a two-tiered approach, the company can offer its SquadNet radio at the lower level, for soldiers who require a more basic capability, and the Synaps handheld radio at the commander level, which has more modern waveforms and is hardened against electronic attack, McCloskey said.