I was under the impression that radios like the PRC-138 and PRC-150 (and similar radios) had hop for two primary reasons, to maintain interoperability with friendly forces with such capability and to maintain interoperability with SINCGARS radios that operate in the overlapping bands, primarily 30 to 87.875 MHz. Also, these radios use different hop techniques in the HF and VHF ranges.
In other words, a lot of US equipment has capabilities that might not be regularly used by US forces.
Not proof by any means, but one of the things I have always taken as an indicator is that if frequency hopping sideband modes on HF were commonly used by US forces I would think I would be getting them quite a bit here, about 50 air miles from Ft Irwin. The VHF/UHF FM hop modes are all over the bands here pretty often (VHF Lo can be interesting), but I very seldom see HF hop modes with regional strength qualities. There is also a lot of Air Force and Navy activity around here, Edwards AFB, China Lake NAWS (both less than 50 air miles, China Lake a LOT less), Pt Mugu and operations off the coast there. But again, HF hop with what appears to be regional characteristics just are not that common here.
Now, every JTRS radio (like the PRC-155) down to the Rifleman Radio level will have hop, no doubt, but will that be a technique used in the HF range? So far I have not seen an indication that it will.
Not really my areas of expertise, so I admit most of my thoughts on this are opinion / supposition / assumption.
T!
PS Hey, is that avatar image concerning the AAC Honey Badger? Or is it the web thing?