The U.S. Air force has ordered additional rescue radios for aircrew and upgrades to the rescue systems ground station network from Boeing. Boeing said it will supply the Air Force with 336 of its Combat Survivor Evader Locator, or CSEL, radios under an award worth $9.7 million. The new radios being delivered include a non-GPS beacon and capabilities for secure texting.

Base station upgrades by Boeing will involve the use of new hardware and software for faster communication speeds, as well as enhanced network and information security.