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Timely and effective communication across the battlespace is key to survivability, particularly as joint and coalition operations are being conducted worldwide with a higher occurrence than ever before. Despite rapid advances in technology, today's military forces still face several fundamental problems as they operate in an increasingly mobile and dynamic environment. Problems include interoperability, the ability to exchange data seamlessly, network security and sufficient bandwidth among others. These challenges are complicated by the proliferation of legacy communications systems that are stove-piped and have limited bandwidth to support today's digitized battlefield requirements.
The DoD has embarked on several initiatives to address interoperability issues in the battlespace, and to greatly improve communications and information sharing among warfighters. One of the most revolutionary of these enabling technologies is the Joint Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS). The JTRS is a family of software programmable radios that will ultimately become the primary means of wireless information transfer among mobile military users in the air, on the ground and at sea.
Software-defined radios, with one set of hardware and a variety of software applications, can operate in a variety of modes and across the frequency spectrum, much like a personal computer is able to perform a variety of functions depending on what software is loaded.
The JTRS program, managed by the JTRS Joint Program Office with the U.S. Army designated as the Service Acquisition Executive, is a multi-phased effort that was initiated in 1997 in response to the services' pursuit of separate solutions to a programmable, modular, multi-band, multi-mode radio that would eventually replace more than 200 radio types in the DoD inventory.
Service acquisition requirements for the JTRS are grouped into common "clusters" based on similarity of requirements and required fielding schedules. Each cluster acquisition program is administered by a JTRS cluster project management office designated by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.
In addition to JTRS GMR (currently in development by a Boeing-led team for the U.S. Army), a Boeing-led team was awarded a 15-month, $54.6 million contract in 2004 by the U.S. Air Force to develop system architectures and initial designs for the Airborne Maritime and Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS). A System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase will follow (full and open competition), and contract award is anticipated in the summer of 2006.
Under the terms of the pre-SDD contract, Boeing as prime systems integrator will be responsible for program management, systems and software engineering, network architecture development, airborne platform integration and integrated logistics support. Rockwell and Harris are the two radio houses responsible for development of the JTR and ancillary items. Rockwell will be responsible for radio design, fixed site radio integration and platform integration support. Harris will be responsible for radio design, information assurance, maritime radio system integration and platform integration activities. L-3 will be responsible for maritime platform integration, the control and management subsystem, specific airborne integration and airborne network support. Northrop Grumman will be responsible for network management. BBN and MILCOM will provide a comprehensive, seamless wireless network architecture and maritime installation support, respectively.
Once operational, the AMF JTRS will be integrated into more than 150 airborne, shipboard and fixed-station platforms, enabling maritime and airborne forces to communicate seamlessly and with greater efficiency in the joint battlespace environment.
The power of AMF JTRS lies in its ability to utilize the ad-hoc mobile wireless network of vehicular and airborne platforms using the Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) created under JTRS Cluster 1.
The program is under joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy oversight, with the Air Force's Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., having the initial lead and the Program Executive Office, C4I & Space providing support.
The nation's military is on the precipice of a dramatic change in how they communicate on the move around the world. The JTRS represents a revolutionary approach to battlefield communications, enabling military forces to have timely and relevant information needed to make operational and tactical decisions rapidly. Boeing is leading this transition to a networked battlespace, and is committed to delivering an interoperability solution that will forever change the way information will be accessible and distributed in the future. For more information, read the AMF JTRS (PDF) overview.
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