Rockwell Collins selected for Weapons Data Link Architecture

The U.S. Air Force awarded Rockwell Collins a contract on Oct. 10 to lead a Weapon Data Link Architecture (WDLA) program.

The contract’s $23.4 million ceiling is for the development of networked, in-flight communication for precision guided weapons, using Software Communication Architecture (SCA) that is compliant with the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Joint Tactical Radio System policy.

The first delivery order under this contract is valued at $5.35 million.

Rockwell Collins will be the prime contractor leading an integrated product team to develop a scalable architecture. The program, previously known as Banshee, is under development for the U.S. Air Force Research Labs.

JTRS is an open architecture, software-programmable radio system that will be adopted as the joint service standard for all new tactical communication systems. The WDLA implementation will enable secure, mission-specific communication protocols and parameters to be reprogrammed in minutes.

The first delivery order of the program includes development of requirements, architecture design and validation for a scalable 50-cubic-inch weapon datalink. Future delivery orders will include a complete architecture design and verification of a 10-cubic-inch, multi-channel weapon datalink, using SCA-compliant waveforms and integrated in precision guided weapons. The program will utilize and expand upon design elements leveraged from ongoing Rockwell Collins development activities, including Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT), Crypto-modernization and JTRS.