The United States Air Force (USAF) C-130 Systems Integration Laboratory has received an initial Small Airborne Joint Tactical Radio from the Lockheed Martin Airborne, Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System team. The initial pre-engineering development model radio with initial Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) functionality will be used to support integration and architecture validation activities for the lead AMF JTRS USAF platform, the C-130 AMP aircraft, within the Mobility Air Forces Airborne Networking Integration program.

AMF JTRS is an encrypted Internet-protocol enabled networking radio that, through the use of software defined radio technology, provides joint users with secure, real-time, interoperable voice, video and data communications.

"This is a significant event for the JTRS Enterprise as it represents the first opportunity for the USAF to begin working 'hands on' with software defined radio interfaces for the C-130," said Mark Norris, Vice President for the Joint Tactical Network Solutions division with Lockheed Martin's IS&GS-Defense. "The delivery also represents an important milestone leading to the incorporation of secure, wideband, Internet-like communications capability into the thousands of USAF platforms currently slated to receive AMF JTRS."

With the delivery of this radio, which incorporates core radio control and WNW waveform functions, the Mobility Air Forces Airborne Networking Integration team can begin early risk reduction integration efforts. It also affords the USAF the ability to perform numerous networking, avionics and software checks. Five C-130 models, including C-130J, C-130 AMP, AC-130U, HC-130 and MC-130, are expected to incorporate the AMF JTRS system.

The AMF JTRS full duplex, software-defined radios will be integrated into airborne, shipboard, and fixed-station platforms, enabling maritime and airborne forces to communicate seamlessly and with greater efficiency. As a result of its software-defined architecture, AMF is also capable of legacy waveform communications, resulting in improved interoperability.

Lockheed Martin's AMF JTRS team includes BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

Source: Lockheed Martin