Designed for military vehicles: KNL's CNHF Vehicular

Open summary

The modular architecture allows units to be installed independently, adapting to the available space on any platform — including densely packed armoured vehicles.
Existing CNHF Manpack transceivers can be incorporated directly into the system, and the Manpack can be quickly detached for dismounted use when needed.
The CNHF Power Amplifier Unit (PAU) increases Manpack’s transmit power across its full HF and VHF frequency range, extending operational reach and improving data throughput.
The CNHF Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) provides impedance matching for whip, dipole, long-wire, and loop antennas across the full HF and VHF frequency range and is designed for external vehicle mounting.
The CNHF Vehicular Mounting Bracket (VMB) is the mechanical foundation of the system, providing shock and vibration damping and active external cooling for both the Manpack transceiver and the PSU.
KNL's cognitive HF radios select the optimum operating frequency automatically from thousands of channels, establish links in 0.5 seconds, and operate independently of GPS and satellite infrastructure.

Modern military vehicles are some of the most communication-dependent platforms on the battlefield. Whether it’s a wheeled patrol vehicle coordinating fire support or an armoured vehicle pushing through difficult terrain, the radio system installed in that vehicle is a critical link in the chain of command.

Yet many vehicle-mounted HF radio systems remain rigid, purpose-built installations. They might be difficult to adapt, harder to maintain, and impossible to reconfigure when operational needs change.

CNHF Vehicular offers a modular transceiver solution that can be tailored to support vehicle communications in even the most demanding conditions.

Designed around the CNHF Manpack, the solution expands the transceiver’s capabilities and open new use cases. It is purpose-designed for military vehicle operations, yet flexible enough to serve as a base station when needed.

CNHF Vehicular: Cognitive HF performance, built for military platforms

HF radio has long carried a reputation for slow link establishment and complex operation, but cognitive HF has changed that. The CNHF Manpack operates independently of external infrastructure, functions in GPS-denied environments, and is extremely resilient against jamming.

Designed for ease of use, Manpack requires less than a day of training to operate — the same transceiver, the same interface, whether carried on patrol or installed in a vehicle.

Getting the most out of the Manpack in a demanding vehicle environment calls for more than a basic mounting solution.

Temperature swings from -40°C to +55°C, vibration and shock from rough terrain and vehicle platform, and the blast overpressure and impact loads in the field, alongside dust, moisture, and the constant mechanical stress of a platform designed to survive in harsh operational conditions.

“A radio that performs reliably in a soldier’s hands needs a purpose-designed support system to perform at the same level inside a vehicle.”

Every vehicle platform also has its own constraints that any communication solution must account for. Tracked armoured vehicles are densely packed, and there is often no single space large enough to fit a complete radio installation as one unit.

In practice, units such as the transceiver, power amplifier and power supply may need to be mounted at separate points within the vehicle. The solution has to be modular—and that is exactly what CNHF Vehicular delivers.

Four units, one coherent system

CNHF Vehicular is not a single product, but a set of purpose-designed units that extend the CNHF Manpack’s capabilities for vehicle, base-station, and mobile-platform use. PAU, ATU and PSU are designed and tested to meet the applicable requirements of MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461.

CNHF Vehicular is fully compatible with existing CNHF networks, extending their reach and capability into vehicle and fixed-station environments. Units can be combined and mounted independently, so the system adapts to the available space in any platform rather than requiring a single contiguous installation area.

CNHF Vehicular comprises purpose-designed modules that operate as one coherent system

CNHF Vehicular comprises purpose-designed units that operate as one coherent system

CNHF Vehicular system: choose the units your mission requires

The CNHF Power Amplifier Unit (PAU) increases CNHF Manpack’s transmit power across its full HF and VHF frequency range, delivering 250W PEP on HF and 50W PEP on VHF. It is fully compatible with the CNHF waveform, ensuring consistent link performance in the field. The PAU is actively cooled by forced airflow over an external heatsink, powered by a 28VDC supply with MIL-STD-1275-compliant input protection, and controlled via RS-485 interface.

CNHF Power Amplifier Unit (PAU)

The CNHF Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) is an antenna matching unit designed for external vehicle mounting and reliable operation in direct weather exposure. It provides impedance matching for whip, dipole, long-wire, and loop antennas across the full HF and VHF frequency range of the Manpack. It typically tunes to a VSWR of 1.5:1 or better to reduce reflected power and improve RF efficiency. Unit is controlled via RS-485 interface.

CNHF Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU)

The Power Supply Unit (PSU) is a rugged DC/DC power supply that delivers stable, protected power to the CNHF Manpack, Power Amplifier (PAU), and Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) in demanding military environments.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

The Vehicular Mounting Bracket (VMB) is the mechanical foundation of the system. It serves as the mounting base for the full system or for individual units independently, giving installers the flexibility to distribute units across the vehicle as space allows.

The Vehicular Mounting Bracket provides shock and vibration protection and serves as the mechanical base for the system.
Unlike many competing systems, the VMB uses active external cooling through heatsinks on the outer surfaces, keeping the Manpack and PSU at operating temperature without circulating air through the devices — preventing dust and debris from entering.
The Manpack can be quickly detached when needed — for dismounted use, or to incorporate an already-purchased CNHF Manpack transceiver directly into the vehicle system, protecting existing investments.
Compatible with the mounting hole patterns of legacy vehicle radio installations, simplifying installation when replacing legacy equipment.

While vehicle installation is the primary use case, CNHF Vehicular supports other deployment scenarios. The same system works in fixed base station configurations, in transportable base stations carried in cases and deployed at forward positions, and on maritime platforms.