Boeing has selected DRS Defense Intelligence, Communications and Avionics Solutions (ICAS) to supply the Joint Tactical Terminal – Receiver (JTT-R) for installation onboard US Navy’s airborne electronic attack platform, EA-18G Growler aircraft.
Initial JTT-R integration efforts for the Boeing-built EA-18G Growler have been in process since July 2009 and the latest $7.9m contract will continue extending its support for the capability.
Under the contract, DRS ICAS will further its efforts to design, develop and integrate JTTR-R to provide increased, critical situational awareness capability to the aircraft.
The tactical terminal provides eight receive channels that enable the aircraft to access near real-time threat, survivor and Blue Force Tracking data that will be transmitted to the pilot, thereby increasing the users’ critical situational awareness.
The JTT-R receives the critical data through Integrated Broadcast Service and Common Interactive Broadcast waveforms (CIBS) over UHF Satellite Communications links and can be expanded to 12 receive channel configuration with additional CIBS-M hardware modules.
The system will replace the existing Multi-mission Advanced Tactical Terminal (MATT), which will reach end-of-life with the transition to common interactive broadcast (CIB) waveform.
The terminals can be mounted in fixed and rotary wing aircraft, surface, and stationary or mobile ground platforms and vehicles to supply the tactical data link to battle managers, intelligence centres, air defence, fire support and aviation nodes.
The EA-18G Growler is an airborne electronic attack (AEA) aircraft which operates from either an aircraft carrier or from land-bases and is a derivative of the combat-proven two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, the US Navy’s maritime strike aircraft.
The aircraft missions are mainly electronic attack (EA) and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), particularly at the start and on-going early stages of hostilities.
