FAB-T is designed to provide strategic forces with a multi-mission capable family of software-defined radios that use a common open system architecture to link to different satellites and enable information exchange between ground, air and space platforms. The system will be capable of hosting a multitude of waveforms that accommodate data rates in excess of 300 megabytes per second. FAB-T is designed to become the first survivable Software Communications Architecture (SCA)-compliant communications system.
SCA Compliance enables the system’s waveforms to be ported to other SCA-compliant radios and for FAB-T to host waveforms developed for other systems. The initial development phase involves creating a FAB-T system that will fulfill operational terminal requirements for the Milstar and Advanced EHF satellite systems. Increment 2 will develop terminals to support Wideband Gapfiller System operations on surveillance aircraft including Global Hawk and Predator, with other platforms to follow.
Boeing reported that the system passed a preliminary design review in October 2006.
