L-3 Communication Systems-West (L-3 CS-West) has successfully demonstrated that the government-standard Bandwidth Efficient Common Data Link (BE-CDL) waveform can be transmitted through small, low-cost terminals designed for platforms under 30 pounds.
A series of recent flight tests verified that common data link (CDL) compliance can be brought to the smallest platforms, ensuring that they conform to the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s (OSD) mandate that all manned and unmanned ISR platforms carry CDL to support multi-service interoperability.
Two different flight tests were completed. One demonstration used a Lockheed Martin flying wing hand-launched unmanned aircraft system (UAS) at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. This test demonstrated full-motion video transmission to a handheld Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver 5 (ROVER 5). The second flight test took place on Insitu’s Integrator UAS at an airfield in eastern Oregon. Integrator is the commercial variant of the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy’s RQ-21A Blackjack. This test demonstrated full-motion video and Level of Interoperability 3 control by a ROVER 5.
“These demonstrations prove BE-CDL can be integrated into new miniature modem technologies and flown on smaller aircraft — leading to more interoperability and accessibility of data for end users,” said Richard Slabinski, Vice-President of Programmes at L-3 CS-West.
Photo: RQ-21A Integrator
Source: Press Release