News

2024-10-07

L3Harris Completes CDR, Advances Global Lightning

L3Harris Technologies has achieved a milestone by completing the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the U.S. Air Force’s Global Lightning development programme.

This review confirms that the company’s Rapidly Adaptable Standards-compliant Open Radio (RASOR) Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) solution can seamlessly integrate service-specified waveforms, bridging Earth-based communications with Commercial Satellite Internet (CSI) constellations.

Flexible Architecture

The MOSA solution offers a flexible architecture that enables forces to quickly scale and enhance multi-mission communications.

RASOR delivers next-generation capabilities that support Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), providing improved interoperability and flexibility. It aligns with U.S. Department of Defence and industry standards while promoting significant cost savings. RASOR enhances the lethality and effectiveness of joint forces.

The programme is one in a series called Defence Experiment Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) that the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Integrated Capabilities Directorate began years ago in support of the service’s Hybrid Satellite Communications (SATCOM) concept.

L3Harris has supported DEUCSI since its inception in 2021. The Air Force awarded the company an USD 81 million contract last year for the “Call 3” exercise, aimed at developing ground systems and airborne terminals that connect commercial and military waveforms to multiple SATCOM constellations.

“Following the successful CDR, we plan on conducting integrated hardware testing within the next year to support Air Force flight tests currently scheduled to begin at the end of 2025,” said Adam Milner, L3Harris Senior Manager of Space Networks. “This milestone brings the Air Force one step closer to bringing true Hybrid SATCOM capabilities and redundancy to dozens of platforms.”

The DEUCSI Call 3 CDR comes on the heels of an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) valued at USD 90 million, which expands the programme’s scope to include additional CSI and resilient, military communications waveforms.

“The ECP doubled the content and connectivity diversity we provide for this initiative, producing multiple hybrid satcom systems to fulfill the higher-level Hybrid SATCOM requirement,” said Milner.

Delivering Hybrid SATCOM

L3Harris builds radio modules using CSI vendor carrier boards that connect to its RASOR terminal. The carrier boards are integrated into radio modules and plugged into the RASOR chassis.

The RASOR chassis, known as RARE (Rapidly Adaptable Ruggedised Enclosure), can scale from three to 12 slots with customised modules, incorporating both L3Harris proprietary technology and third-party solutions.

The unit configures and achieves mission requirements across previously disparate capabilities. Processing capabilities include data links (ISR, C2, Voice, Sensor), electronic warfare, mission processing and security.

The individual modules can provide a wide breadth of cross-domain capabilities with multi-level security, from resilient line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Command and Control, Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing and Electronic Warfare.

“We provide the insight and experience that comes from over 20 years delivering modular and software-defined radios to military customers and more than 50 years of tactical and strategic communications support and innovation,” said Milner. “Open architectures provide the flexibility the Air Force will require to plan and coordinate rapid insertion of emerging technology – through the development of swappable radio modules, rather than full hardware – as new SATCOM constellations are launched into orbit.”

IDIQ Contract

Separately, L3Harris Technologies has received an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract worth up to USD 182 million from the U.S. Air Force to deliver advanced situational awareness capabilities.

Partnering with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the contract will enable the company to provide economies of scale for the U.S. Department of Defence and allied nations when procuring critical Video Data Link (VDL) technology, including the ROVER 6S and Tactical Network ROVER (TNR) 2 wideband ISR handheld transceivers.

Designed for air, surface, and maritime use, the ROVER 6S provides real-time, full-motion video and data for situational awareness and surveillance.

Lauren Barnes of L3Harris noted that partnering with the Air Force enhances value for global customers and streamlines scheduling for video data link improvements with coalition forces.

This award is the third consecutive, five-year VDL IDIQ L3Harris has received under the programme.

The VDL III programme advances the company’s support for Combined Joint All-Domain Command-and-Control needs. This includes participation in the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System consortium, success in the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Commercial Space Internet programme, and continued production of resilient communications devices for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and global allies.

Comments () Views (8049 ) Print

Send To Friend