Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully completed flight testing of an airborne satellite communications system, to become the first airborne terminal system to be certified for connection to the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS). The flight test used the communications terminal system installed on a modified business jet aircraft to connect with a WGS via the Ka-band link. The test – which measured terminal performance including high data rates – is the second of three phases required to certify the airborne communications system for WGS operations. The new terminal will facilitate high throughput airborne communications supporting ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) dissemination at all levels. Northrop Grumman is performing the certification under the Multi-Role Tactical Common Data Link (MR-TCDL) Developmental and Operational Test program contract. MR-TCDL enables extremely fast exchange of data via ground, airborne and satellite networks, by dynamically routing IP data between space, aerial and ground communications layers. Northrop Grumman’s teammates on the program include U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; L-3 Communications South West, Salt Lake City, Utah; Alpha Research & Technology Inc., El Dorado Hills, Calif., and Orion Air Group, Tucson, Ariz.
