Integrated targeting system from Rockwell Collins aimed at mobile battlefield use
NewsJune 14, 2018
PARIS, EUROSATORY 2018. Rockwell Collins (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is showcasing its new FasTAK tactical combat targeting system and secure communications gateway at the Eurosatory 2018 exhibition, held this week in Paris.
The portable communications gateway -- available in either Windows or Android format -- enables messages in such formats as Link 16, Variable Message Format (VMF), Cursor on Target (CoT), JREAP-C, JREAP-A. and various other data languages. Rockwell Collins documents show that the targeting system employs the company's Data Link Processor software, a data-link translation and forwarding application that operates on simple laptop hardware, that manages the translation and forwarding between all the radios and datalink terminals and provides each network with a forwarded situational awareness picture of the other attached networks. The FasTAK Gateway has an integrated router so the computing platform can sit virtually anywhere to handle the data links, radio frequencies, and actual forwarding.
In addition, say Rockwell Collins officials, the gateway automatically populates warfighters' ground positions into the Link 16 network to enhance safety and reduce mistakes.
