Aerospace & Defense Electronics

NASHUA, Nh. -- BAE Systems has completed the development and integration of an upgraded Link 16 test capability for Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminals on U.S. Air Force F-16 aircraft.

The company notes that this upgrade streamlines the maintenance process, allowing aircraft to return to operation faster.

The new automated test solution is now integrated on the Versamodule Extensions for Instrumentation Improved Avionics Intermediate Shop and the Rackmount Improved Avionics Intermediate Shop, which enables the on-site validation of MIDS JTRS at customer bases.

MIDS JTRS provides situational awareness and enables Link 16 connectivity with jam-resistant, line-of-sight voice, video, and data communications for sea, ground, and air assets. Link 16 is meant to enable greater performance to the previous MIDS - Low Volume Terminal test for F-16 aircraft.

Link 16 is a standardized communications system used by NATO, the U.S., and its allies to share encrypted real-time tactical data. MIDS JTRS is a four-channel software-defined radio designed to run the complex Link 16 waveform and up to three additional communication protocols. The U.S. Department of Defense is fielding MIDS JTRS on the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, and F-22 aircraft, as well as ship and command and control assets.

Source: BAE Systems
Associated URL: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-provides-advanced-aircraft-readiness-with-new-link-16-test-capability-for-f-16

SAN DIEGO & WESTMINSTER, Colo. - BAE Systems Geospatial eXploitation Products and Vantor, a provider of unified spatial intelligence, today announced that they will be providing advanced intelligence and targeting capabilities for contested electronic warfare (EW) environments. This delivery integrates part of Vantor’s Raptor, a vision-based software suite that enables autonomous systems to navigate, orient, and extract accurate ground coordinates without relying on GPS, with the GXP software ecosystem, ensuring intelligence continuity when sensors are degraded.

In modern conflict zones, the proliferation of inexpensive unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with equally low-quality sensors, in addition to widespread GPS spoofing and jamming, have rendered traditional drone video collection unreliable. Significant metadata drift in tactical video feeds leads to "targeting paralysis": high-quality imagery is available, but the underlying geographic coordinates are too inaccurate for precision activities.

To solve this, Raptor Sync georegisters the full-motion video feed from the drone’s on-board camera with Vantor’s 3D terrain data in real-time, enabling downstream GXP intelligence fusion, multi-domain interoperability across different sensors, and accurate ground coordinate extraction at a demonstrated absolute accuracy of <3 m. This system enables previously impossible intelligence and targeting workflows.

Source: BAE Systems
Associated URL: https://www.baesystems.com/gxp

PARIS - Thales and BAE Systems are working together to address the challenge of autonomous platform proliferation, collaborating on the integration of their advanced sensor system, with the intent do demonstrate it on the Herne XLAUV platform in 2027.

The proliferation of autonomous platforms - from uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) to extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (XLAUVs) - is reshaping how hybrid navies operate in contested waters where crewed platforms face increased risk. But these platforms are only as effective as their sensors, and delivering the situational awareness that operators need, remains one of the most pressing challenges.

At the heart of this collaboration is a new intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mast system from Thales. Designed for uncrewed, autonomous applications, it is a stealthy, low-mass solution whose modular architecture allows users to customize sensor payloads to meet specific operational requirements.

The system is configurable for a range of payloads beyond visual sensing, including electronic warfare, communications and navigation systems to name but a few, delivering real-time intelligence to enhance mission effectiveness. It is also platform agnostic and scalable, whilst the Herne XLAUV is payload agnostic.

Source: Thales
Associated URL: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en