Smart Radio – All in One Device

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The operative capabilities of a soldier on the battlefield might be deteriorated due to the heavy load of equipment he carries, especially communications systems. The digital radio revolution helps solve this problem.

A new version of a smart radio unveiled. MPU5 is an advanced and efficient Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) radio. Built to create powerful, secure networks anywhere, the system unites all the critical data sources in real time. Data, video, voice, and a fully integrated Android computer system makes the MPU5 the world’s first Smart Radio, according to the company website.

A MANET network is a continuously self-configuring, self-organizing, infrastructure-less network of mobile devices connected without wires.

As a Smart Radio, the MPU 5 system significantly decreases the amount of gear the soldier has to carry. Having one fully capable Smart Radio platform frees up valuable space and weight so you can focus more on the task at hand. Fewer cables, fewer batteries, fewer worries – without sacrificing capability.

The new firmware version 19.5.3 for the MPU5, unveiled by Persistent Systems, addresses feedback from a readiness exercise conducted by the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division.

The MPU5, which came out in 2016, can create its own network, whether in the middle of the desert or inside a tunnel. It also can send voice, video and data around corners and through a crowded environment to another user as many as 4 miles away, depending on terrain. It can even plug into legacy hardware, such as traditional, analog walkie-talkies and make them part of its digital network.

The new version contains significant performance improvements specifically intended to benefit dismounted end users.  Improvements include: improved battery life and audio quality, a LED blackout mode to support low-visibility operations, a simplified web interface, rapid configuration tools and more.

“We want to empower warfighters with industry-leading capabilities, and receiving direct user feedback from operational units is extremely beneficial. Their feedback allows us to focus on improving existing capabilities and developing new ones to address capability gaps that can only be discovered in real-world deployments of the network,” said Eric Stern, Director of Engineering at the company.