CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy has awarded a $37 million contract for the upgrading of its Joint Tactical Information Distribution Systems radio terminals.
The four-year award was given to Iowa's Data Link Solutions, a joint venture by Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems.
"This four-year program will provide operation, maintenance and sustainment for the projected service life of the JTIDS terminals through the year 2035 by adding product improvements that will allow JTIDS platforms to continue to participate in the Link 16 network," said DLS Director Michael Beltrani.
Link 16 is the tactical data link network used by NATO and coalition forces that allows aircraft, ships and ground forces to share a tactical picture in near-real time.
JTIDS systems are installed on military platforms from U.S. Air Force fighters to Navy submarines and provide jam-resistant digital communication of data and voice for command and control, navigation, relative positioning and identification.
Under the contract, DLS will incorporate cryptographic modernization and frequency remapping upgrades into fielded JTIDS Class 2 terminals.
