US Army fielding AN/ARC-231A MARS from BAE Systems

The US Army has completed the initial installation and fielding of BAE Systems’ AN/ARC-231A Multi-mode Aviation Radio Set (MARS). The system is now operationally ready for use on selected helicopters, as announced by BAE Systems in a September 4 press release. 

The AN/ARC-231A MARS is a new generation of multi-band, multi-mission airborne communications systems. It features Type 1 crypto modernisation, which refers to a US government standard for encrypting information to protect it at the highest classification levels. In particular, this includes post-quantum encryption, which is widely regarded as a critical issue for defence and national security.  The radio’s software-defined architecture allows for the deployment of new capabilities through software upgrades, making it adaptable to changing operational requirements and specific mission modifications. The implementation aims to provide a secure and rapid communications solution for personnel in the field.

The MARS system consists of the RT-1987 radio and its associated equipment, such as amplifiers and mounting bases. It is designed as a direct replacement for the original ARC-231 radio, which is widely used by US armed forces and their allies. The system’s design emphasises configurability, allowing for flexible integration and deployment options to ensure interoperability.

BAE was awarded the AN/ARC-231A MARS contract in October 2024 with a ceiling value up to $460 million (approx £341.1 million/€393.4 million) over a five-year delivery period. The contract consisted of “hardware components, repair services, engineering and logistic support, and development for rotary-wing aircraft,” BAE said at the time.

Manufactured at BAE Systems’ facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with engineering support from a location in Largo, Florida, the AN/ARC-231A MARS is also available for foreign military sales. This availability provides international partners with a system that supports compliant air traffic control communications and a full range of mandatory US and NATO capabilities.

Defence clarified: Post-quantum encryption

Post-quantum encryption is an interesting topic for defence because quantum computing remains at a relatively immature level. While it is possible to use it for certain calculations and tasks, it is far from being operationally ready. However, it is anticipated to advance quite quickly to the point where it can hold current encryption standards at risk. This is a big problem because encryption is used in many aspects of modern life and defines many communication standards from bank transactions to the safeguarding of national secrets. The challenge is that adversary states could harvest existing encrypted communications and decrypt them at a later date with quantum computing. This may not be a problem for tactical communications, but is another matter altogether if it is the plans for a nuclear submarine. As a result, there is a drive to introduce new encryption algorithms that are too difficult for even quantum computers to crack so that data is protected from harvesting now. 

Company Profile: BAE Information and Electronic Systems

BAE Information and Electronic Systems is a business unit of BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security, and aerospace company. BAE Systems was formed in 1999 by the merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems. BAE Information and Electronic Systems, based in Nashua, New Hampshire, develops and manufactures advanced electronic warfare systems, sensors, and communications technologies for military and commercial applications.

Calibre comment

Resilient and robust communications links are key to the US DoD’s plans for multi-domain operations, which envisages that a lot of data will be shared between platforms over increasingly long distances. This is driving a reliance on new modes of communication, like proliferated low-earth orbit, but also an increased focus on new waveforms that can be refined and improved through software, rather than a brand new radio set. This increased focus on software-defined solutions is what the AN/ARC-231A MARS from BAE Systems is intended to help achieve. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on September 5, 2025. Credit for the lead image is BAE Information And Electronic Systems.