Link 16

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Link 16 is a military tactical data link network used by NATO members and other nations, as allowed by the MIDS International Program Office (IPO). Its specification is part of the family of Tactical Data Links.

Link 16 enables

MIL-STD
.

Technical characteristics

Link 16 is a

throughput values well over 1 Mbit/s.[1]

Link 16 information is primarily coded in

binary
data words with well-defined meanings. These data words are grouped in functional areas, and allocated to network participation groups (NPG) (virtual networks), most importantly:

  • PPLI, or Precise Participant Location and Identification (network participation groups 5 and 6),
  • Surveillance (network participation group 7),
  • Command (Mission Management/Weapons Coordination) (network participation group 8),
  • (Aircraft) Control (network participation group 9),
  • Electronic Warfare & Coordination (network participation group 10).

Development

Link 16 is intended to advance Tactical Data Links (TDLs) as the NATO standard for data link information exchange. Link 16 equipment is located in ground, airborne, and sea-based air defense platforms and selected fighter aircraft. The U.S. industry is now developing a new Link 16 SCA compliant radio MIDS-JTRS which currently is projected to implement nine various tactical waveforms, including Link 16.[citation needed]

The

Boston, Massachusetts. The MIL-STD-6016 Standard configuration management custodian is the Defense Information Systems Agency
.

Platforms

Some examples of platforms currently using the Link 16 capability are:

Aircraft

Ships

Missile defense systems

Networked weapons

Command and control

The U.S. Army is integrating Link 16 into select

UH-60 Black Hawk fleet,[citation needed
] and intends to pursue fielding to AH-64 Apache and other aviation assets.

The USAF will add Link 16 to its Rockwell B-1 Lancer and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers with the Common Link Integration Processing system.[3] Early versions of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor could only receive but not transmit Link 16 data,[4] on the basis that transmitting data would reveal its location.[5] Upgrades to the F-22 have since given it the ability to transmit Link 16 as well.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "MIDS-LVT Link 16 Tactical Airborne Terminal". viasat.com.
  2. ^ "MilSOFT - Products/Projects - Data Links and Messaging Systems". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  3. ^ Northrop Grumman Awarded Air Force Contract to Integrate CLIP on B-1B and B-52 Aircraft Northrop Grumman press release, 21 October 2010
  4. ^ Seligman, Lara (23 May 2017). "Inside The Cockpit: Flying The F-22 Against Islamic State In Syria". Aviation Week. Retrieved 30 May 2017. At the same time, the company is working on enabling the Raptor to transmit Link 16 signals—currently the aircraft can only receive Link 16 — and fielding Increment 3.2B, a new software load that will allow the F-22 to take full advantage of the AIM-9X and AIM-120D Amraam missiles.
  5. ^ "F22 Raptor absent from Libya ops", Air force times, March 2011
  6. ^ Amiga500 (26 Feb 2014) Lockheed validated the use of Link 16 transmit capability on F-22

Further reading

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