Military Embedded Systems

Frontgrade booth features modular tactical communications suite

News

May 21, 2026

Dan Taylor

Technology Editor

Military Embedded Systems

Frontgrade booth features modular tactical communications suite
Image via Frontgrade

TAMPA, Florida. Frontgrade Technologies is showcasing its Modular Amplified Communications Suite (MACS) at SOF Week this week, displaying a scalable communications architecture designed for rapid deployment across tactical environments and vehicles of opportunity, the company says.

MACS is built around three configurations scaled to different operational requirements. The MACS-Lite is the lightest option, built around a single PRC-163 radio with an MBA-50v2 amplifier, amplification on RT1, and 12V, 28V, or AC power with battery backup. The MACS-Pro steps up to a PRC-163 with an NXG-50 dual-channel amplifier providing amplification on both RT1 and RT2, radio battery backup, and 28V power. The MACS-Basecamp serves as a dedicated power solution for the MACS-Pro, supporting 12V, 28V, or AC power with battery backup.

Across all configurations, the system supports simultaneous dual-channel amplification, integrated power management, and control through a TAK End User Device, giving operators a common interface for radio, amplifier, antenna, and power monitoring. The modular architecture is designed to allow units to tailor the communications package to specific mission requirements without requiring a separate integration effort for each deployment.

The system is designed with the contested RF environment in mind -- a theme that ran throughout SOF Week, with multiple senior commanders citing resilient, GPS-independent communications as one of the command's most pressing capability gaps.

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