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A new family of Software Defined Radios (SDR) currently under
development will provide a common platform for wireless
applications, ranging from low cost, single purpose terminals, to
multi-band, multi-mode, multi-channel voice/data radios supporting
narrowband and wideband waveforms. JTRS family of tactical radios
support provides line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight C4I
capabilities. Covering the spectrum from 2 to 2000 MHz, JTRS will be
capable of transmitting voice, video and high-speed data. The
program is being developed in several "Clusters", each addressing
specific uses and requirements. Some of these clusters cover
vehicular, airborne and portable configurations including manpack,
handheld and Small Form Factor (SFF) - for a variety of mission
requirements. The FCS combat formation, roughly equating to a small
brigade, will combine vehicle- and helicopter-based JTRS radios,
typically using the Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW), with
personal communicator JTRS radios typically using the Soldier Radio
Waveform (SRW), the latter addressing all the embedded applications
associated with FCS.
JTRS Personal Role Radios and FCS
JTRS Cluster V focuses primarily on the Small Form Factor radio
requirements of future land forces, which will be incorporated into
existing and new equipment and systems. The embedded
radio-on-the-man platform, for instance, will not have its own power
source, but rely on the power package carried by the soldier as part
of the Future Force Warrior system. These radios are under
development with the Soldier Level Integrated Communications
Environment (SLICE) program. Similar systems will also be integrated
into unmanned applications such as Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS),
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), small Unattended Ground Vehicles (UGV)
and Intelligent Munitions, as part of the Future Combat family of
Systems (FCS) family of systems.
SLICE uses technologies and waveforms derived from the DARPA's Small
Unit Operation-Situational Awareness System, optimized as a
personal role radio, for small,
low power devices. The system is expected to mature by 2006. Systems
conforming to the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) will operate at
frequencies between 450Mhz and 1000Mhz at Band 2 and 1 from 350Mhz
to 2700Mhz in Band 3. Standard SRW will operate in a single channel
for intrateam network while "leader's radios" will support both
channels and enable links to command and control networks. Other
applications of SFF radios include Blue Force Tracking and Combat
ID. SRW radios are designed to deliver an instantaneous burst data
rate ranging from 450Kbps to 1.2Mbps and 2Kbps to 23.4Kbps, under a
low-probability of intercept "stealth" mode which will be almost
immune from detection by enemy electronic surveillance. Another
waveform planned for integration in Cluster 5 radios is the support
of cellular network – under Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)
waveforms. This capability will also support UHF
DAMA protocols for satellite
communications.
JTRS Cluster V is under development by an industry team headed by
General Dynamics Decision Systems with BAE Systems, Rockwell Collins
and Thales Communications Inc. (TCI), supported by Motorola, Vanu,
Agile Communications, Altera and RedZone Robotics. |
