NATO issues RFI for handheld radio systems

NATO will procure new handheld radio systems to enhance its communications readiness during convoy movement and deployment.  

According to the agency, the radios will not replace any inventory but act as an additional unclassified communications layer in the event existing systems are compromised.  

A request for information (RFI) launched by NATO on 30 April will guide this upcoming acquisition, to identify suppliers capable of delivering 500 off-the-shelf radios. It will also help to shape the agency’s understanding of the market.  

The RFI specifies that the radios must be designed for installation into vehicles with as little modification as possible. 

The systems should additionally have a minimum battery duration of 24 hours and cover a 2km range in urban and forest environments.  

A future procurement  

While NATO stresses that the RFI is not a request for bids and is for planning purposes only, respondents are encouraged to submit an approximate cost for the handheld radios.

Only companies based in a NATO member country may respond to the RFI, which closes on 27 May.