SPARTAN radio. (Photo: Collins Aerospace)
Collins Aerospace is producing two software-defined radios (SDRs) for the USAF that will connect and transmit airborne and ground radio data via a multi-node network for the first time.
The open-architecture SDRs — developed in the Software Programmable Agile Radio for Tactical Connected Ubiquitous Systems (SPARTACUS) and Software Programmable Agile RF Tactical Aerial Network (SPARTAN) programmes — will expedite data transmission and extend data range, the Raytheon Technologies company claimed on 18 May.
Collins is developing the radios under two separate USAF contracts worth a combined $21 million.
The low-cost ground-to-air radio for SPARTACUS ‘can support legacy and future waveforms, and can also integrate additional 3rd party waveforms’, the company noted, adding that the SPARTAN radio is capable of operating multiple waveforms simultaneously to maintain critical connectivity.
Both radios share common design elements supporting various waveform capabilities ‘including multi-node directional data links and beyond-line-of-sight SATCOM links,’ Collins added.
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
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The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.
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