$42 Million FMS to Enhance Interoperability
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 19 April that the State Department has approved a potential $42 million Foreign Military Sale to Australia of Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS JTRS) and related equipment.
Canberra has requested 106 MIDS JTRS (5) terminals; 15 MIDS JTRS (6) terminals; and seven MIDS-Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT) (4) Block Upgrade Two (BU2) retrofit kits. Also included in the proposed sale are LVT Cryptographic Modules (LCM).
The DSCA said the potential sale will improve Australia’s capability to interoperate with US forces and exchange secure, jam-resistant tactical data via Link 16, adding that the principal contractors will be Viasat and Data Link Solutions, the latter a joint venture between BAE Systems and Collins Aerospace.
According to BAE systems, the MIDS JTRS is being used to replace multiple legacy radios in military platforms, reducing any need for excessive spares and logistics support. It is a 4-channel radio that runs the complex Link 16 waveform plus up to three more communication protocols, including the Tactical Targeting Network Technology. It can also host and provide computer processing to run routing and platform-specific applications, lowering the costs of integration, said the company.
