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JTRS Cluster 1
In response to the increasing communications requirements of the digital battlespace of today and tomorrow, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has launched the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) initiative to develop a family of software programmable tactical radios to provide voice, data and video communications for mobile military users in the air, on the ground and in the sea.
This joint service initiative addresses the growing need for integrated air and ground systems which enable joint service task forces and multinational coalitions to conduct efficient and effective military operations. JTRS will improve radio communications and interoperability between branches of the military, according to officials of the Army's Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications - Tactical.
Earmarked as the first of a series of JTRS radios, the Cluster 1 radio is being developed for use by U.S. Army ground vehicles and aviation assets, the U.S. Air Force's Tactical Air Control Party, and vehicles for the United States Marine Corps. Other Clusters will follow using the JTRS technology and will be compatible with the U.S. Army-led Cluster 1 initiative. Those follow-on JTRS Cluster radios will be fielded to the Navy, dismounted forces, and to the United States Air Force.
With the JTRS program, troops will be able to talk to each other using voice, video and data, to include teleconferencing. Further, JTRS will be able to link older "legacy" radios to communicate with the new ones as well. The lead for Cluster 2, which focuses on handheld radios, is currently being headed by the Special Operations Command. The Navy will develop Cluster 3 for maritime use and the Air Force will develop Cluster 4.
When all the clusters are completed, the military services will acquire the communication devices and integrate them into the various vehicles and systems they use. As prime systems integrator, Boeing will be responsible for the design and integration of the JTRS Cluster 1 vehicular and airborne systems; the acquisition of legacy waveforms and a new wideband network waveform; and the development of two qualified production sources. TRW will support Boeing in the overall systems engineering effort and will be responsible for the integration of ground platforms. BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins will have responsibility for developing the ground vehicular and Army Airborne systems, as well as the Tactical Air Control Party vehicular communications system for the U.S. Air Force. Collectively, the team is committed to the JTRS program, and has the best talent, resources and knowledge of the program to do the job effectively.
JTRS is central to enhancing the DoD's C4ISR capability and dramatically improving joint interoperability. To meet customer needs, the team is committed to developing a system that significantly decreases network planning and enables users to access information as required in the performance of their individual mission. Common software within the hardware systems will facilitate interoperability and enable users from the different services, as well as our combined partners, to readily establish reliable communications and share critical situational awareness and command and control information.
JTRS Cluster 1 Benefits:
- Integration/networking of dissimilar radios expedites communication throughout all forces, air, ground and maritime
- CONOPS development is consistent with Objective Force
- Flexible auto-configuration of military networks to enable successful communications even in adverse environments
- Reach-back and beyond line-of-sight connectivity
- Transmission interoperability between Army, Joint, NATO, Coalition, legacy and commercial networks
- Use of multi-mode, multi-function antennas
- Bandwidth-on-demand
