ViaSat and DRS Technologies Inc., under a contract with the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and Program Executive Office for C4I, have demonstrated an Internet Protocol data connection from the cockpit of an F/A-18 jet fighter to a ground network.
The data link uses ViaSat Multifunctional Information Distribution System LVT(1) terminals modified to provide IP communications to and from an onboard DRS Airborne Tactical Server (ATS). The tests were conducted at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake.
In the test, the aircrew employed an Advanced Technology Forward-Looking Infrared (AT-FLIR) camera to record video. Although the test flight was during the day, the AT-FLIR typically captures images at night or in other low-light conditions. The aircrew created video captures and transferred IP data files at rates in excess of 70 kbps, moving images of 35,000 bytes to the ground network in seconds. In combat, these images could be used for intelligence and reconnaissance missions to identify and locate targets, enemy movements, or friendly forces.
CDR Jeff Myers, an assistant program manager from PMW-750 at PEO C4I, acted as the project manager for this demonstration. According to CDR Myers, "Speaking as an operator, both the speed and quality of the information exchange between the Hornet and the ground network were impressive and proved to be tactically relevant. From a project manager standpoint, the effort showed that there are options to affordably field an IP capability in tactical platforms that are worth further exploration. I thought our government-contractor team did an outstanding job working together to show the operational advantage of IP information to and from the tactical edge."Â
Through relatively minor modifications to the ViaSat MIDS LVT(1) terminal, the Link-16 network is able to transmit IP data. The DRS Airborne Tactical Server (ATS) enables aircrews to record, store, and access aircraft and tactical data. This configuration replaces the Solid State Recorder (SSR) typically installed in the F/A-18, providing the same video, audio and data recording functions and adding a Microsoft Windows®-compatible file server to the aircraft. To show seamless integration with existing Link-16 operations, the demonstration used an operational Link-16 network with the IP data sent over a standard Link-16 relayed voice channel using the ViaSat Enhanced Throughput (ET) modes of the Link-16 waveform.
"Just the ability to use the Link-16 equipment to exchange IP-format files between the cockpit and a ground network is a major advance,"Â said Phyllis Sack, program manager at ViaSat. "But our tests are showing that the network connection is fast enough to support streaming video and situational awareness applications as well, so that's the next step"Â - ViaSat.
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