Bandwidth challenges existing data link order
For almost four decades NATO’s Link 16 tactical data link has proved its worth as a vital communications conduit for air operations, but thoughts are now turning to its successor.
The Link 16 tactical data link (TDL) is used throughout NATO and among allied nations to share track and tactical data between air platforms, and between aircraft, land and sea platforms or installations involved in the air battle.
When Link 16 commenced its roll out in the 1970s/early 1980s it was revolutionary, with the TDL transmitting across an ultra-high frequency waveband of 960MHz-1.215GHz. The ‘secret sauce’ in Link 16’s approach
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