Rockwell awarded DACAS agreement
Rockwell Collins has received a Digitally Aided Close Air Support (DACAS) agreement from the US Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, the company announced on 14 March.
The agreement will see Rockwell Collins provide the Department of Defense (DoD) with an open source aggregation framework to enable cross-platform data link communications on mobile devices for Windows and Android, giving software engineers the ability to quickly develop and integrate modules that can communicate with close air support platforms and call for fire artillery platforms.
The framework will enhance the military's ability to coordinate and execute air support, call for fire and enhance situational awareness for troops on the ground. In addition to Link 16, phase one of the work will focus on the Variable Message Format and Cursor On Target message formats.
The new solution will be used by all US government agencies.
Brad Haselhorst, vice president of business development, government systems for Rockwell Collins, said: 'By using a commercial open source model, the entire DoD will gain synergies in quality, customisability and elimination of 'from scratch' development - thus reducing costs and increasing interoperability.
'Moving in this direction will allow warfighters to communicate more efficiently and quickly, thereby enhancing safety.'
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