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The US Navy has awarded BAE Systems and joint venture partner Collins Aerospace a US$1 billion (AU$1.57 billion) indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity modernisation contract to deliver the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System for a host of US and allied combat aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornets.
The contract covers the continued production, retrofits, development and sustainment of Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminals, with provisions for future upgrades. MIDS JTRS enhances situational awareness and facilitates Link 16 connectivity, offering jam-resistant, line-of-sight voice, video and data communications for air, sea and ground platforms.
In today’s network-centric, information-intensive operational environments, effective communication, navigation and identification are critical to mission success. US and allied warfighters must rapidly make informed, interoperable decisions, often requiring the real-time exchange of vast amounts of data. MIDS JTRS enables seamless interoperability across allied forces using the Link 16 communications standard.
Amber Dolan, director of Data Link Solutions (DLS), said, “MIDS JTRS brings different generations of platforms onto a common communications network. It provides more stable and secure gateways in the most contested scenarios.”
MIDS JTRS is a four-channel, software-defined radio capable of running the Link 16 waveform as well as up to three additional communications protocols. Link 16 is a widely adopted, standardised system used by NATO, the US, and allied nations to exchange real-time tactical data.
MIDS JTRS provides a scalable, flexible solution that adapts to mission-specific network needs, while Tactical Targeting Networking Technology ensures low-latency, high-capacity communications in contested environments. The US Department of Defense is fielding MIDS JTRS on platforms, including the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, and F-22 aircraft, as well as naval and command-and-control assets.
“This award enables Data Link Solutions to modernise thousands of MIDS JTRS terminals and provide new capabilities that support a variety of missions for the US Navy and coalition forces,” Dolan said.
DLS is a leading provider of Link 16 terminals and software, along with logistics and support services for air, land, and sea platforms and draws on over 25 years of experience in delivering high-performance, reliable data link solutions and it has supplied more than 9,000 Link 16 systems to over 50 countries worldwide.
The development, production and integration of MIDS JTRS will take place at facilities in Wayne, New Jersey, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This contract encompasses purchases for the US Navy, Air Force, Army, and the MIDS Program Office, as well as NATO nations under the foreign military sales program.
The first task order, valued at US$116 million (AU$182.24 million), has already been awarded for the supply of terminals and spares, with additional production orders expected to follow.
