Northrop Grumman is working on developing and fielding a gatewayONE prototype that will enable translation and communication across platforms, as part of the US Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management family of Systems (ABMS).
Under the contract, awarded by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s C3I & networks directorate, the company is providing engineering, management and technical assistance for the air force’s integration of net-centric 5th-to-5th generation aircraft communications capabilities and other platforms into a modular, open-architecture gateway.
Testing of a flight-representative configuration will be conducted in a systems integration laboratory, on the ground, and in the air based on the four month operational demonstration pace envisioned by the Air Force Acquisition Lead, Dr. Will Roper and the Department of the Air Force Chief Architect, Preston Dunlap.
“We’re constantly advancing capabilities in networking and communications focused on large-scale modular, open architecture systems-of-systems solutions,” said Roshan Roeder, vice president, communications, airborne sensors and networks division, Northrop Grumman. “We are working closely with the Air Force to design and deliver to the field, advanced communications systems quickly and affordably.”
Work performed under this program will support live demonstrations of the Air Force’s developing Advanced Battle Management family of Systems. This capability could be used to network together the types of aircraft being developed through the Air Force’s Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology initiative.
Northrop Grumman will integrate this capability — using its Freedom radio product line that can connect 5th-to-5th generation aircraft — and via ABMS extend this to enable multiple 5th generation platform types to share and integrate data.
