Lockheed Martin has successfully completed a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of the Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Station (AMF) component of the military's Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) program. Completion of the review marks a major milestone in AMF JTRS development and demonstrates the maturity and capabilities of the next-generation radio system.

During the PDR, held August 9-12, Lockheed Martin and its teammates presented an in-depth review of the AMF JTRS system, from the top-level architecture to the hardware and software components that comprise the foundation of the system. The team demonstrated several key technologies including advanced "ad hoc" networking, which will enable AMF JTRS to automatically form a battlefield network "on the fly," linking any number of units over a dynamic, flexible network.

The team also outlined its approach to JTRS platform integration, one of the most critical challenges for the program. The Lockheed Martin team explained in detail how its AMF JTRS hardware would integrate seamlessly into airframes and ships that have demanding size, weight and power requirements. The review moved beyond just paper and diagrams and demonstrated real hardware and software, illustrating the maturity of the design and reducing risk for the next phase of the program.

"Our AMF JTRS team is making significant progress, refining technologies and reducing risk in order to help deliver this critical capability to the field at the earliest possible time," said Dom Costa, Lockheed Martin's vice president for Joint Tactical Network Systems. "Our team has designed highly advanced prototypes leveraging mature technology that will exponentially enhance the effectiveness of tactical planes and ships, helping warfighters act with unrivaled speed, precision and confidence. Our AMF JTRS program team is on schedule, on budget and ready to move forward with development of this critical net-centric capability."

AMF JTRS is a transformational communications program to modernize the communications systems currently used by the military on fixed and rotary wing aircraft, ground installations and a wide range of warships and submarines. AMF JTRS will replace aging, stove pipe radios with revolutionary new hardware and software that will allow pilots, sailors and commanders to communicate with any other friendly unit and to participate in Network-Centric Operations as a networked node. The JTRS family of radios will be fully interoperable with current and future communications systems, giving warfighters a flexible, reliable and seamlessly integrated global radio network.

"AMF JTRS will deliver unprecedented communications capabilities directly to warfighters on the front line, where connectivity is absolutely critical," said Glenn Kurowski, Lockheed Martin's AMF JTRS program director. "We are building the enabling capability for a dramatic transformation of tactical communications. This system will provide unprecedented interoperability with a collaborative joint network for warfighters in the battlefield theater. This most recent design review brings the AMF JTRS vision closer to reality by focusing on the challenges of platform integration and automating communications from the cockpit to radio room."

Lockheed Martin leads a team of communications, systems and platform integration experts that is competing for the AMF JTRS program. The team, which includes BAE SYSTEMS, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and numerous specialized subcontractors, was awarded a 15-month, $51 million pre- system design and development (Pre-SDD) contract in September of last year. The Pre-SDD contract calls for the Lockheed Martin team to map out a proposed architecture and design for the AMF JTRS system.

Lockheed Martin is one of two teams competing for the AMF JTRS system design and development contract award, which is anticipated in 2006.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin