Kenwood has added a new radio to its Viking lineup. The KENWOOD Viking VP8000S brings a slimline design to the VP8000 multi-band portable, one of the most capable P25 radios on the market. EFJohnson, Kenwood’s public safety radio division, unveiled it on October 26, 2026 at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference in Orlando, and shipping is scheduled to begin in March 2027.
As a Kenwood Viking dealer serving agencies across Southwest Washington, we’re already fielding questions about it. Here’s what has been confirmed, what hasn’t, and how to plan if your agency is interested.
What Kenwood Announced
According to EFJohnson’s announcement, the VP8000S is a multi-band, multi-protocol portable radio and a new form factor within the VP8000 family. In EFJohnson’s words, it offers “the same VP8000 features you rely on, in a smaller, slimmer housing.” Kenwood says it was developed in response to direct feedback from law enforcement, with police chiefs, sheriffs and other officers helping shape its direction.
“Listening to our first responders who rely on our radios is an essential part of how we develop our products,” said Keith Vetreno, VP of Safety, Security and Customer Engagement at EFJohnson.
Ahead of the reveal, The Critical Communications Review reported that Kenwood framed the project around a simple question: how do you make an already successful radio easier to carry? The request came from chiefs, investigators and first responders who wear their radios for an entire shift.
Why a Slimmer VP8000 Matters
The VP8000 earned its reputation by doing a lot in one radio: multiple bands, multiple protocols, and the toughness public safety work demands. Capability like that usually comes with size and weight, and for a patrol officer with a full duty belt or a detective in plain clothes, every ounce and every inch of bulk adds up over a 10 or 12 hour shift.
A slimline version is aimed squarely at those users. EFJohnson says the VP8000S was designed with command staff, investigators, administrators and law enforcement professionals in mind: people who carry a radio through meetings, public events and plain clothes work, and who need the full capability of a VP8000 without the bulk.
What We Know and What We Don’t Yet
Confirmed by Kenwood:
- Name: KENWOOD Viking VP8000S
- The same VP8000 features in a smaller, slimmer housing
- Multi-band and multi-protocol
- Designed for command staff, investigators, administrators and law enforcement professionals
- Unveiled at IACP 2026 in Orlando on October 26, 2026
- Shipping expected to begin in late March 2027
Not yet published:
- Exact weight and dimensions
- Battery capacity and runtime
- Pricing and model options
We’ll update this post as Kenwood releases full specifications. If you’d like the details as soon as we have them, let us know and we’ll reach out.
The VP8000 Features It Builds On
EFJohnson says the VP8000S keeps the VP8000’s features in a slimmer housing. Until the full VP8000S spec sheet is published, here’s what the current VP8000 offers:
- VHF, UHF and 700/800 MHz bands in a single radio
- P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 trunking, P25 conventional and analog FM
- IP67 and IP68 ratings and MIL-STD-810 compliance
- Built-in GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- AES-256 encryption and over-the-air rekeying
- 3 watts of audio output for loud environments
- Man Down detection, instant recording replay and a large emergency button
For a closer look, read our overview of the Kenwood Viking VP8000 and our comparison of the VP8000 vs the VP6000.
Should You Wait for the VP8000S?
That depends on your timeline and who will carry the radio.
If you need radios in the next few months, the VP8000 is available now, along with the single-band VP6000 and VP5000. Waiting until March 2027 or later for a radio whose specs haven’t been published is a real tradeoff for an agency with aging equipment.
If your replacement cycle lines up with 2027, and a large share of your users are command staff, investigators or officers who would benefit from a smaller radio, the VP8000S is worth building into your plans. Many agencies will likely end up with a mixed fleet: full-size VP8000s for patrol and specialized units, and VP8000S radios for the people who carry all day but need something less bulky.
Planning a 2027 Radio Purchase
Since shipping starts in March 2027, now is a good time to get the groundwork done:
- Budget and grants. Federal grant programs can help agencies fund radio upgrades. See our guide to FY2026 JAG grant funding for law enforcement radios to understand how those programs work.
- System compatibility. Confirm which P25 systems, bands and talk groups your officers need to reach, including neighboring agencies and fire. Our article on P25 radios for fire departments in Washington State covers the interoperability questions that apply to law enforcement too.
- Fleet mix. Decide who needs full-size radios and who would be better served by a slimline model.
- Programming and support. Plan for codeplug programming, encryption keys and accessory needs before radios arrive.
For a broader view of public sector purchasing, see our guide to two-way radios for government and municipal agencies, or how police departments use FleetNet for secure communication.
Talk to Whisler About the VP8000S
Whisler Communications has been a family-owned radio dealer in Olympia since 1959, serving law enforcement, fire and public agencies across Thurston, Pierce, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Kitsap and Clark counties. We can walk you through the full Kenwood Viking lineup, help you plan a 2027 purchase, and handle programming and support once your radios arrive.
Call us at (360) 352 8777 or contact us to get on our VP8000S update list.
