TCG-HUNTR bridges data links in German Air Force exercise
The fourth annual Timber Express tactical data link (TDL) exercise, held last month by the German Air Force, included a successful demonstration of the TCG-HUNTR hub and network translator gateway from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions.
TCG-HUNTR software ‘improves and simplifies' the task of moving data between similar and dissimilar TDLs, Lynn Bamford, president of Curtiss-Wright Defense and Power, said in a 28 July statement.
The TCG-HUNTR gateway was successfully used to tie together all participants in Timber Express 2020 into a common C2 and operating environment.
In line with the high-level objectives of the 16-day exercise, Curtiss-Wright demonstrated TCG-HUNTR functionality with Link 16 network hosting; variable message formatting; the Internet Protocol-based Joint Range Extension Applications Protocol C; Cooperative ESM Operations; and manned/unmanned teaming (MUM-T).
For the first time, Link 16-enabled fighter aircraft were used to command Airbus MUM-T remote carrier UAVs to 'attack' a designated target.
‘Nowadays, being networked decides who wins or loses in a modern conflict,’ said Lt Col Volker Schaaf of German Air Force Headquarters. ‘That’s why it is very important in this exercise to connect the different data link systems. In order to cope with this, we rely on user-friendly systems, HUNTR was a valuable contributor.’
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