Collins aerospace: all Geared to Meet Global demands

busiNess Pulse ColliNs aerosPaCe: All gEARED TO MEET glOBAl DEMANDS

A leader in APNT solutions for ground platforms, Collins has delivered more than 10,000 navigation systems to military armed forced around the world. It has the extensive capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and broad expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market

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ollins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, which is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defence industry recently demonstrated a Unified Network that achieved the range and scale required to support the US Army modernisation and the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives for joint and coalition forces.

This was conducted as part of the recent Experimental Demonstration Gateway Exercise 2022 (EDGE 22) excursion at the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah, USA. The JADC2 is the US Department of Defence’s (DOD’s) concept to connect sensors from all of the military services—Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force—into a single network.

The demonstration created a Unified Command and Control Network leveraging ground and air platforms to connect multiple brigade combat teams and division assets separated by up to 365 kilometres in rugged terrain. An advanced tactical data link, mesh network and intelligent gateways facilitated the integrated network.

The intelligent gateway included a cross-domain solution that enabled multiple levels of security across the networks, a capability providing division Commanders and coalition partners access to a common operational picture to enhance situational awareness and make informed split-second decisions.

“The warfighter’s most strategic asset is a Unified Network as it provides actionable data anywhere within the multidomain battlespace and brings together commanders in real time to coordinate mission operations,” said Elaine Bitonti, vice president, JADC2 Demonstration and Experimentation for Collins Aerospace.

Collins Aerospace has the extensive capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and broad expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market.

In the recent Eurosatory 2022 in Paris, the company’s next generation software-defined airborne communication system – ARC 210 Gen6 – was authorised for delivery to Five Eye and NATO nations. The world’s most advanced airborne radio in the market features the latest anti-jam technology, satellite capability (MUOS), embedded high-power output, and the latest modernized cryptology for enhanced situational awareness

and seamless communications in challenging and contested environments.

The ARC-210 Gen6 integrates a next-generation networking capability, and variants can be reprogrammed and customized as needed without sacrificing performance or security. It is now available through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to authorized countries.

Collins’ international variant of this architecture — the AR1500 — is deployed across the globe with customers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Fully software defined, the AR-1500 provides the same frequency range and RF performance as the ARC-210 Gen6, but with a selection of waveforms and capabilities unique to the direct commercial sale (DCS) market, including electronic protection and embedded cryptography.

“The ARC-210 family of radios has enabled millions of critical messages to be exchanged for more than 25 years, providing U.S. and allied military forces with reliable and secure communications when it’s most essential,” said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager, Communication, Navigation and Guidance Solutions for Collins Aerospace. At Eurosatory 2022, Collins Aerospace introduced NavHub™200M, the first non-ITAR vehicular navigation system for the international market compatible with Military Code (M-Code) receiver technology. NavHub-200M’s improved message formats and signal modulation techniques will ensure faster and more accurate performance for ground vehicles on the connected battlespace. NavHub-200M provides Assured Positioning, Navigation and

ARC-210 GEN6

Timing (APNT) capabilities while improving overall resistance to existing and emerging threats to Global Positioning Systems (GPS), such as jamming and spoofing.

“With GPS-based Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) receivers set to become obsolete, it is critical that M-Code receiver technology is made available to ground forces around the world as quickly as possible so they can trust that the signals they receive in a fast-moving, hostile environment are accurate and actionable,” said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager, Communication, Navigation and Guidance Solutions for Collins Aerospace. “Our NavHub-200M

NavHub-200M

provides an improved resistance to jamming and interference, as well as advanced security features to prevent unauthorized access or exploitation.”

NavHub-200M also includes the open interface standards and sensor fusion capabilities required for a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) upgrade path, such as that for Europe’s Galileo constellation, as well as interfacing with key vehicle sensors such as the inertial measurement unit (IMU) and odometer, among others.

Collins, a leader in APNT solutions for ground platforms, has delivered more than 10,000 navigation systems to military armed forced around the world. “The WaRFiGhTeR’s MOsT sTRaTeGiC asseT is a UniFied neTWORk as iT PROvides aCTiOnaBLe daTa anyWheRe WiThin The MULTidOMain BaTTLesPaCe and BRinGs TOGeTheR COMMandeRs in ReaL TiMe TO COORdinaTe MissiOn OPeRaTiOns”

elaine bitonti,

vice President, jadC2 demonstration and experimentation for Collins aerospace