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2021-10-01

Kratos Products Support TITAN Prototype Programme

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. recently announced that they successfully delivered the first set of products to support the U.S. Army Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) space-ground system prototype, which is being developed by Northrop Grumman.

TITAN’s purpose will be to provide near-real-time data to commanders at all levels for timely targeting solutions. Northrop Grumman was selected by the Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Army Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) office to develop prototype space-ground TITAN systems.

Kratos’ OpenSpace quantum and SpectralNet products will provide virtualised downlink processing for the TITAN space-ground prototypes as part of this effort. Kratos was selected to the Northrop Grumman TITAN team due to the OpenSpace products’ ability to virtualise uplink/downlink processing while meeting Space, Weight, and Power (SWAP) requirements. In addition, the products will enable the demodulation of downlinks from multiple commercial satellite systems.

Quantum and SpectralNet products are part of Kratos’ OpenSpace solutions family. Quantum products are software replacements for traditional hardware components, such as modems, that operate at lower cost and with greater scalability to adapt more rapidly to changing missions and conditions.

For example, where it can take weeks to deploy traditional ground system hardware, quantum products can be deployed and configured to support different missions in just hours. The OpenSpace Platform can go even further, enabling satellite operators to deploy, configure and adapt entire networks in just minutes using its orchestrated software-defined network (SDN) architecture. Moreover, OpenSpace SpectralNet products digitise the satellite’s Radio Frequency (RF) signals, acting as the on-ramp to the digital transformation of ground systems.

“OpenSpace technology is leading efforts across the satellite industry, both among commercial and government operators, to capitalise on the ability of virtualisation and modern networking techniques to realise digital transformation goals,” said Frank Backes, Kratos’ Senior Vice President of Federal Space Solutions. “TITAN is the newest application of OpenSpace in the U.S. Department of Defense. (DoD) that can better support the timely tactical needs of the warfighter.”

Actionable Intelligence

The TITAN system will be a scalable and expeditionary intelligence ground station that will leverage space, high altitude, aerial and terrestrial layer sensors to provide targetable data that allows commanders to quickly assess threats to their forces. In this prototype effort, Northrop Grumman’s deployable and semi-autonomous ground station prototypes will demonstrate the value of space assets in improving battlefield awareness and tactical intelligence in Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2AD) environments.

The system will also help connect the joint force by providing near real-time intelligence using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to rapidly deliver fused data from multi-domain sensors to weapon platforms, such as artillery, jammers, and airborne systems.

“Our ground station prototypes will integrate existing software and hardware capabilities to showcase a unique ability to provide access to multi-domain actionable intelligence from commercial and military space systems,” said Troy Brashear, vice president, integrated national systems, Northrop Grumman. “As a proven provider of multi-domain intelligence capabilities, we give the warfighter the ability to complete critical missions in far-reaching and highly-contested areas in a safe and deployable environment.”

The U.S. Army expects TITAN to reduce the sensor to shooter timeline and provide new deep-sensing that will maximise the effectiveness of long-range precision fires. Moreover, by leveraging commercial and military space assets, TITAN will maximise the effectiveness of Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF).

A separate TITAN acquisition will provide mobile ground stations that link to terrestrial, high-altitude, and airborne sensors to provide targeting data to the Army. The common software architecture is the basis of the Northrop Grumman space-to-ground TITAN prototype system, potentially enhancing the integration of space-based data systems with the mobile ground stations in later phases of the TITAN programme.

In addition, Kratos will provide engineering and manufacturing of the modified tactical shelter and related subsystem hardware for the TITAN prototypes. Kratos’ FMTV-mounted ground station platform will house and protect mission-critical TITAN system components. One of Kratos’ core strengths is providing custom mobility platforms that feature power and thermal management systems, rack-ready C5ISR equipment integration, and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding up to High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) level requirements.

The prototype phases are expected to support multiple demonstration exercises in 2022 and 2023.

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