The US Navy has awarded Data Link Solutions, a joint venture between BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins Inc., a contract to provide small form factor (SFF) Link 16 radios, which will be fulfilled using BAE Systems’ FireNet™ Link 16 tactical systems. 

FireNet is a scalable, secure and open system architecture communications solution with a unified tactical network to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) operations.

Today’s operations in network-centric, information-intensive environments demand wide data bandwidth, network diversity, and constant connectivity, as large volumes of accurate, reliable information need to be exchanged in real-time to maintain operational situational awareness. The FireNet system delivers that edge with additional narrow, wide-band and tactical data link capabilities.

According to the manufacturer, the FireNet system is Crypto Modernization 1 compliant and offers the highest transmit power available in an SFF radio for current and future fleets. The system addresses size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) demands and its applications can extend across rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned vehicles, maritime vessels, and space platforms. It also enables additional line-of-sight voice, data, and network communications from very high frequency to S-Band.

With more than two decades of expertise in the radio market, BAE Systems’ narrowband and broadband communication technologies span airborne, maritime, and ground applications across the radio frequency and visible spectrum. These battle-proven, highly-reliable systems also feature multi-band, secure anti-jam voice, data imagery transmission, and network-capable communications. 

The company’s family of products merges the latest generation wideband, high-speed hardware, and software technologies to provide users with the communication solutions they need on the modern battlefield.

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