Northrop Grumman to develop SPOC radio terminal
Northrop Grumman will develop and demonstrate a Software Programmable Open Mission Systems (OMS) Compliant (SPOC) radio terminal for the US Air Force under a contract announced on 10 January.
The SPOC solution will provide the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center with an air-to-ground and air-to-air communications capability across four radio frequency waveforms: Link-16 CMN-4, Common Data Link (CDL), Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) and Multi User Objective System (MUOS).
Northrop Grumman’s SPOC open architecture networking terminal opens the F-35 communications, navigation and identification system to third-party developers, enabling ownership of Link 16 development, sharing of ISR information over a common data link, and MUOS beyond line-of-sight capability.
Roshan Roeder, vice president, communications, airborne sensors and networks division, Northrop Grumman, said: ‘Our solution for SPOC provides a mature hardware and software development kit that allows the air force to rapidly develop and prototype innovative communications solutions from any provider on an open architecture networking terminal that can be quickly taken into flight test and production.
‘With the air force taking responsibility for developing the airborne communications network infrastructure for the Advanced Battle Management System, SPOC radio will allow the air force to rapidly develop, test, fly and iterate.’
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