ASELSAN Radios and Communication Systems
ASELSAN radios and communication systems carry the company’s founding DNA: ASELSAN was established in 1975 to build military radios, and communications remains one of its most rooted business areas today. In modern combat, communications is not merely transmitting voice; it is building an encrypted, jam-resistant and network-based flow of information. For this need, ASELSAN offers an integrated portfolio reaching from the handheld radio to division-scale field networks, from satellite communications to national crypto. This guide introduces ASELSAN’s communication products from single devices up to system scale.
ASELSAN communication systems at a glance
| Product | Type / function | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 9600 series | Software-defined radio (SDR) | Multi-band, software-reconfigurable radio family |
| PRC handheld/manpack | Tactical field radio | Individual and squad-level portable communications |
| TASMUS | Field/tactical communication network | Division-scale network-based communication backbone |
| National crypto | Encryption solutions | End-to-end security of voice and data |
Software-defined radios: the 9600 series
ASELSAN’s current backbone in radio technology is the 9600 series of software-defined radios (SDR = software-defined radio, meaning a radio configured to different waveforms and frequencies by software rather than hardware). Where traditional radios are built for a single function, SDRs can operate on different bands with a software update, load new waveforms and become interoperable with different units. This flexibility keeps the same hardware current over the years and adapts it to NATO-compatible communication scenarios. The 9600 series offers a wide range of use with handheld, manpack, vehicular and fixed versions.
Tactical field radios: the PRC family
At the individual soldier and small-unit level, PRC-type handheld and manpack radios are used. Designed to be light, rugged and to provide encrypted communication, these radios enable voice and data traffic at squad, team and company level. Field radios connect to larger network infrastructures (such as TASMUS), forming an unbroken information chain from the smallest unit in the field to the command center.
Field communication network: TASMUS
TASMUS (Tactical Area Communication System) is ASELSAN’s division-scale, network-based communication infrastructure. TASMUS unites the headquarters, units and sensors on a battlefield under a single secure network, letting voice, data, imagery and messaging flow over a common backbone. Such a system is the foundation of the “network-centric warfare” concept: every element in the field sharing a common situational awareness picture. TASMUS brings radios, radio relays and encryption devices together in an integrated architecture.
National crypto and secure communications
The value of communications in defense is directly proportional to its security. ASELSAN develops national crypto solutions that encrypt voice and data end to end. The critical importance of national crypto is that the algorithms and key management do not depend on a foreign supplier; this prevents sensitive military communications from being intercepted or controlled from outside. Encryption works in an integrated way both in single radios and in network-scale systems such as TASMUS. Thus ASELSAN can close the entire communication chain, from device to network to encryption, with national means.
FAQ
What types of radios does ASELSAN make?
ASELSAN makes software-defined (SDR) radios and tactical field radios (PRC type) in handheld, manpack, vehicular and fixed versions. These are grouped into multi-band families such as the 9600 series.
What is an SDR (software-defined radio)?
An SDR is a radio that can be configured to different frequencies and waveforms by software rather than hardware. Because it can be adapted to new missions with a software update, it is long-lived and flexible.
What is TASMUS for?
TASMUS is a division-scale field communication system that unites the headquarters, units and sensors on a battlefield in a single secure network, letting voice, data and imagery flow over a common backbone.
Why is national crypto important?
National crypto ensures that the encryption algorithms and key management do not depend on a foreign supplier, so that sensitive military communications cannot be intercepted or controlled from outside.
Sources
- ASELSAN — Communication Systems product pages (aselsan.com, accessed July 2026).
- ASELSAN — Communications and Information Technologies sector page.
- ASELSAN 2025 Annual Report (for communication programs).
