Joint Tactical Radio System: AMF, GMR, HMS

By Paul H. Sniffen, NCE, JPEO JTRS SPAWAR San Diego

The JPEO JTRS team at SPAWAR San Diego and PEOC3T Fort Monmouth, NJ is leading the development and testing of the Airborne Maritime Fixed (AMF), Ground Mobile Radio (GMR) and Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Factor (HMS) radios. These radios will be capable of communicating in the Global Information Grid using 9 waveforms and 13 radio form factors, including 7 small form factors (SFF).

Boeing is the prime contractor for JTRS GMR, with BAE, BBN, ITT, Harris, Northrop Grumman, and Rockwell Collins as subcontractors. The prime contractor for JTRS HMS is General Dynamics with BAE, Thales and Rockwell Collins as sub contractors. JTRS will be able to communicate with the legacy tactical radios identified below. Based on the current progress the waveforms and form factors will be fielded on an incremental basis in 2010.

JTRS is a software defined radio that uses imbedded code along with ASICs, DSPs and FPGAs to perform signal conversion, filtering, processing, modulation, power management, and encryption in the 2MHz -2GHz band.

JTRS Waveforms

1. Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) is a secure Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) UHF waveform that is used for navigating and communicating between air and ground platforms in both the Army Battle Command System (ABCS) and Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2). EPLRS Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL) has the ability to network with Link 16 via Mil 1553 A/B data bus.

2. SINCGARS is a secure VHF waveform that is used for ground and air communications. It can operate in frequency hopping or non frequency hopping mode.

3. Link 16 is a robust and secure TDMA UHF waveform that is used for data comm and navigation air to air and air to ground. Link 16 is known as MIDS JTRS and it is a stand alone radio that has TACAN and voice capability. MIDS JTRS is also interoperable with JAN-TE. MIDS JTRS will be able to communicate with Airborne Networking Waveforms (ANW) in the future.

4. Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) is a UHF waveform that is used for Manpack and Handheld communications that provides IP connectivity to the GMR WNW backbone.

5. Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) is an IP based UHF waveform that is used in GMR radios on multiple legacy platforms as well as on Stryker and FCS to provide an IP network backbone.

6. HF is used for ISB, SSB, and ALE communications over the horizon. HF is used on land, air and sea platforms using ground wave and sky wave propagation. HF will incorporate STANAG 5066 supporting email as well as new NATO modems.

7. UHF SATCOM consists of Demand Assigned Single Access (DASA) and Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) waveforms.

8. MUOS, Mobile User Objective System, is a UHF SATCOM radio using a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) waveform from 4 earth stations and 6-8 satellites to Warfighters anywhere in the world. First launch is in 2009.

9. JAN-TE, Joint Airborne Network-Tactical Edge, uses the IP based Targeting Tactical Network Technology (TTNT) waveform used in the Navy F/A 18 Hornet and Air Force F16 Falcon and F22 Raptor. It operates at data rates of 250/500 kbs and 1 to 2 mbs at velocities up to Mach 8.

JTRS Form Factors

1. GMR consists of up to 4 channels to include EPLRS, SINCGARS, HF ISB/SSB/ALE, SRW/WNW, or UHF DAMA SATCOM in Army ground platforms in 17 possible configurations. There is significant weight and volume reduction compared to operating individual legacy radios. They will, however, require more input power than legacy radios because of the processing power density and cooling requirements. GMR has been integrated and tested with Future Combat System (FCS) platforms.

2. Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) JTRS is used in conjunction with AWACS and Patriot Missile Batteries. This radio has 200 watts of RF output in the 1 GHz band and 300 km air to ground range. It uses 1536 time slots and 51 channels to provide superior communications under adverse conditions. Talk to any fighter pilot and they will tell you “they will not fly without it”. All MIDS and Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) radios are interoperable between land, air and sea platforms by US and allied forces.

3. Manpack radios operate using AM, FM, SRW, MUOS, EPLRS, SINCGARS, HF SSB, DAMA, GPS waveforms. This is a 20 Watt RF output radio with fully programmable TRANSEC and COMSEC. EDM deliveries of Manpack radios have started.

4. Handheld radios can host any one of 9 VHF/UHF waveforms per channel including SRW, MUOS, UHF SATCOM, EPLRS, SINCGARS, VHF AM ATC, VHF FM, COBRA and HaveQuick II. It contains Army Key Management System (AKMS) and Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) crypto, is fully COMSEC and TRANSEC programmable and provides 5 Watts RF output.

5. AMF-SA, Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Site-Small Airborne radios can host SRW, WNW MANET, HaveQuick, VHF/UHF Voice and Link 16.

6. AMF-MF, Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Site, has the same functionality as AMF-SA with IPV4 and IPV6 capability. AMF has been successfully demonstrated using SRW, WNW, and Link 16 in Arizona, San Diego, and the Pentagon in real time.

JTRS HMS Manpack and Handheld Radios

Small Form Factor Radios

The 7 SFF devices are all battery operated and can be deployed on the battlefield in different ways. They can operate in the network a finite period of time which depends on the sleep mode, listening mode and transmitting mode. They all use the SRW UHF waveform. These devices contain power management software to maximize efficiency during EW, CC , LPI, LPD modes. They also contain programmable cryptography to handle new algorithms and multi level security requirements. The SFF radios are scheduled to be integrated and tested with FCS.

1. SFF A , IMS, Intelligent Munitions Systems, UGS, Unattended Ground Sensors for FCS

2. SFF B, Land Warrior Leader, 2 channels
     SFF C, Land Warrior Soldier, 1 channel
     SFF I, Cleared Warfighter, 1 channel
     SFF K, Commander Device, 2 channels

3. SFF D, E, Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles , 1 or 2 channels
     SFF F, Small Unattended Ground Vehicles

4. SFF G, Non Line of Sight Launch System , 10 Watt RF PA

5. SFF H, Intelligent Munition System, Unattended Ground Sensor Gateway

6. SFF J, NLOS-LS, Non Line of Sight, Ground Missile Launcher System in FCS, 10 Watt PA

7. SFF K, Next Gen Range Instrumentation, 80 watt S band transceiver

SFF Unattended Ground Vehicle Radios

SFF Non Line of Sight Radios

The HMS SFF team has conducted Electronic Warfare tests with the Survivability, Lethality & Analysis Directorate at Fort Monmouth and White Sands Missile Range. The HMS team also performed field tests at Fort Dix, NJ and Fort Hood, Texas.

The GMR test team has conducted tests at Fort Huachuca with platforms such as M1 Abrams, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, M1068 Personnel Carrier and HUMMWVs. JTRS GMR will also be integrated into Stryker Brigades and the Future Combat System platforms. The 5 waveforms used in GMR can be operated in 17 different configurations depending on the platform.

Author Bio

Paul is a NARTE master radio and telecom engineer that has worked on the development of communications systems at CECOM, CERDEC and PEO C3T, Fort Monmouth since 1984. He has participated in the Joint International Configuration Review Board and the Joint Interoperability Test Conferences with NATO and other allies. He has participated in IA conferences at JITC, JHU APL, NOLA and USN PGS. He is coauthor of DoDD 8100, Use of Commercial Wireless Devices, Services, Technologies in the DoD GIG. He is currently supporting PM JTRS at PEO C3T.