Open architecture radio terminal under development for USAF
NewsAugust 03, 2020
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. Collins Aerospace Systems (a unit of Raytheon Technologies) has revealed that it is developing a software-programmable Open Mission Systems (OMS)-Compliant (SPOC) radio for the U.S. Air Force as part of a previously awarded $18.9 million contract.
According to information from the company, the Collins Aerospace three-channel SPOC radio will be able to operate three different radio waveforms simultaneously -- Link 16, a mesh network Advanced Tactical Data Link (ATDL); Bandwidth Efficient Common Data Link (BE-CDL); and Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) -- to maintain connectivity in mission-critical situations. Such consolidation into a single unit will reduce mission weight associated with data link and communication systems while reducing life cycle costs.
The SPOC radio, say company officials, will enable the Air Force to field new capabilities while maintaining connectivity to legacy systems on air and ground platforms with a single unit through the added flexibility of field reprogrammability.
The program has completed two major milestones, Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review, on time and on schedule and stands ready for a demonstration during the first quarter of 2021. .
