SAN DIEGO, July 15 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has delivered the first secure, Joint Tactical Radio to the U.S. Army's AH-64D Apache Avionics Integration Lab.
Lockheed said the Airborne, Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System delivery included the Engineering Development Model of the Joint Tactical Radio-Small Airborne two-channel radio running the Link-16 waveform and 200w Link-16 power amplifier.
The system is designed to seamlessly share secure NSA Type 1 voice, data and video communications in real time.
"This delivery represents a significant step in building the Department of Defense communication network and dramatically enhances the situational awareness that tactical warfighters will have in the cockpit," said Army Col. Raymond Jones, JTRS assistant joint program executive officer.
Once completely fielded, AMF JTRS will link more than 100 platforms, providing connectivity to areas where no communications infrastructure previously existed.
"This milestone is testament to the maturity of the AMF JTRS networking system," said Mark Norris, vice president for Joint Tactical Network Solutions with Lockheed Martin's IS&GS-Defense. "AMF JTRS will provide net-enabled communications that are secure, move more information faster, are easy to use and maintain and interoperate with new Joint Tactical Radio systems as well as older legacy radios."
The delivery of this radio, which incorporates control software and essential Link 16 functions, allows the Apache integration team to begin integrating the Joint Tactical Radio command-and-control functions onto their platform architecture.
The Apache Avionics Integration Lab will use the EDM unit for software integration and testing for incorporation into the AH-64D Block III upgrade.
Lockheed Martin's AMF JTRS team includes BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.
