Harris Corporation Supplying RF-7800W Broadband Ethernet Radios for Real-Time Airborne Emergency Management System

ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris Corporation , an international communications and information technology company, is providing its new RF-7800W high-capacity line-of-sight radios to a U.S. government project for maximizing the use of high-quality digital images in emergency management.

"The RF-7800W will provide the infrastructure needed to transfer important information in real time, allowing emergency crews to create more effective response plans," said Kevin Kane, director of U.S. Business Development and Federal Agency Sales, Harris RF Communications. "The radio system offers a solution that has applications throughout the federal government for providing instant communications, particularly for emergency response and homeland security."

Harris is supplying the RF-7800W to the Real Time Airborne Management System (RAMS) for emergency scenarios. The RAMS system will enable public safety teams to receive up-to-date digital images to direct their response to natural disasters such as hurricanes, which can damage the landscape and hinder the ability of emergency crews to respond to victims in need.

The system is being funded under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, with Pictometry International Corp. as the lead contractor.

The RF-7800W radios will be used to transmit images of the landscape from Pictometry's patented airborne digital camera system and other sensors to ground stations in real time. Once received, the images will be mined for data and used to direct response strategies.

Designed for network-centric operations, the radios securely transfer encrypted Internet Protocol (IP) traffic over distances of 50 kilometers or more under clear line-of-sight conditions in fixed point-to-point configurations and 20 kilometers in point-to-multipoint configurations. The RF-7800W provides voice and data transmissions with very low latency and supports power-over-Ethernet for limited cabling and easy deployment.

Phase I of the project involved the development of a real-time imagery capture and distribution concept using an innovative architecture and data dissemination strategy designed to support decision making in the early days of a major disaster to speed response and protect lives. A more detailed working system using this technology will be created over the next two years as part of Phase II.

Harris RF Communications Division is a leading supplier of secure voice and data communications products, systems, and networks to military, government, and commercial organizations worldwide.

About Harris Corporation

Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual revenue of almost $5 billion and 16,000 employees -- including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications(R) products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at http://www.harris.com/ .