Military Data Link Integration Application

Abstract

Abstract : The military uses tactical data link radios to send and receive digital voice, data, and video between vehicles and command and control facilities. These data link radios are interfaced to various mission computers and display systems. As outlined in the Joint Tactical Data Link Management Plan, a wide range of legacy military platforms will be upgraded to incorporate new data link radios through 2015 and beyond. The upgrade costs to do this will be enormous if traditional subsystem upgrade approaches are used. A need exists for a common, scalable and low cost military data link integration solution that can be used in multiple and disparate platform applications. The author will discuss such a design approach that can be used on each military platform application. The solution processes new and evolving messages with a database driven design so that the user can control message activation, deactivation, and processing instructions for each unique platform application. The database used for this capability is created by and maintained by the user. This allows a common design to work and to evolve on each unique platform without the need to modify the operational software.