Secure Comms with New General Dynamics Pathfinder Network Radio

Date: 2011-09-26

General Dynamics C4 Systems’ new Pathfinder™ handheld radio solves the global challenge of maintaining secure voice, data and video communications for first responders and military personnel working in areas where the local network infrastructure is destroyed, overloaded or nonexistent.  The Pathfinder radio allows up to 32 radio users to communicate one-to-one or one-to-many as a single network, and individual networks can also link together for even greater coverage.

The Pathfinder radio also can track the position and location of radio users who are part of a Pathfinder-enabled network, and Pathfinder communications are protected from access by unauthorized users with embedded information security technology. Weighing less than 10 ounces, the Pathfinder has a standard land-mobile radio look and feel and operates up to 17 hours on a single battery charge.

“Today, most soldiers and first responders don’t have access to Internet-based capabilities like chat and text messaging on their current radios,” said Joe Miller, director, Radio Strategy and Emerging Business for General Dynamics C4 Systems. “Using advanced mesh-network technology, the Pathfinder radio is actually a network system that delivers the communications and information advantages of the Internet in a radio that can also interoperate with cell phones and traditional land mobile radios.”

Mesh networking is enabled by embedded technologies that allow Pathfinder radios to form their own network without the need for any “infrastructure” such as towers, base stations and access points. With Pathfinder radios, if a soldier or first responder can see someone else using a Pathfinder radio, they can talk to anyone else on the Pathfinder-enabled network.

Pathfinder radio features include:

• Network configuration can be accomplished remotely, such as disabling a lost or stolen radio
• GPS-based position-location information to track radio users in real-time
• Secure voice, data, video and text communications
• Pathfinder gateway products that enable interoperability with UHF and VHF radios and APCO-25  radios, satellite terminals and cellular and landline phone systems
• Support for multiple users on a single frequency conserving frequency spectrum space

For more information about General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), please visit www.gdc4s.com.

- Product Profiles /9-1-1magazine.com (via General Dynamics, 9/13/11)