A reconfigurable radio communications system is disclosed. The system
comprises a digital data bus, a control bus, and first and second
reconfigurable radio communication units responsive to the digital data
bus and the control bus. Each of the first and second reconfigurable
radio communication units further include a first and a second
multifunction radio transceiver, with the first reconfigurable radio
communication unit responsive to at least a first antenna, and the second
reconfigurable radio communication unit responsive to at least a second
antenna. Each of the first and the second multifunction radio
transceivers of the first and the second reconfigurable radio
communication units are operable to simultaneously transmit and receive
data on at least two separate channels from different frequency bands.
Within the system, one of the multifunction radio transceivers is
automatically reconfigurable to maintain radio communication functions
previously performed by a faulted multifunction radio transceiver.