Hello, Moto: $76M for Intra Squad Radios
The US Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, VA awarded Motorola in Columbia, MD a $76 million firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery /indefinite-quantity contract for 60,000 Integrated Intra Squad Radios (IISR) and associated items.
As National Defense Magazine’s September 2005 issue notes, the Corps realized it lacked small squad-level communications for urban operations after the invasion of Iraq. Marines liked the British Army’s “personal role radio” and bought 10,000 Selex PRRs from Britain’s war reserve. The PRR is a small transmitter-receiver similar to civilian two-way radios, which allows infantry soldiers to communicate over short distances. Meanwhile, some soldiers and Marines were buying related civilian systems like Motorola’s TalkAbout series – something that should have been anticipated after the USMC’s “Urban Warrior 98” exercise [PDF]. The Corps belatedly made procurement a priority, but wanted a longer range than the PRR’s 500 meters and more secure encryption.
Hence the current IISR award. Work will be performed in Schaumburg, IL and is expected to be complete by April 2011. This contract was competitively procured through full and open competition using the Navy Electronic Commerce and federal business opportunities websites, with four offers received (M67854-06-D-7022).
Additional Readings
- StrategyPage (May 2/06) – OK, You Can Toss the Talkabouts
- Military & Aerospace Electronics (April 10/06) – Marine Corps awards contract for 60,000 infantry handheld radios
- SELEX – PRR: Personal Role Radio. Note that Motorola’s IISR should not be confused with the British PRR. They are different products.
