US Air Force’s Talon HATE Program moves forward

Boeing’s work on the US Air Force’s Talon HATE programme has reached a new milestone, with the system completing the final design review.

Talon HATE has been rapidly prototyped on an accelerated timeline by Boeing an industry suppliers for the US Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities office within Air Combat Command, to improve communication and information sharing across the battlespace.

The system, which is designed to initially be carried in a pod attached to F-15C fighter aircraft, combines information from fighter networks, national sources and joint command and control assets. Transmitting over data-links, the information can then be used by joint aircraft, ships and ground stations for an improved common operating picture for tactical awareness.

The development has seen the Boeing team integrate the Intra Flight Data Link (IFDL) used on F-22 aircraft within a proven flight communications system, called the Multifunctional Information Distribution System-JTRS (or MIDS-J). This marked the first time IFDL was integrated on the MIDS-J system, which is also used on Boeing F/A-18 aircraft. MIDS-J serves as a host for multiple concurrent communications waveforms that are essential for Talon HATE forward operations.

Sean Rice, program director, Boeing Talon HATE and Derivatives, said: ‘The Boeing team demonstrated communications interoperability between the platforms using these systems during the final design review. The feedback and advice gained from pilots, operators and support teams seeking to improve this prototype was vital to this success.’

Boeing is scheduled to deliver several Talon HATE systems to operational squadrons in 2015.