Officers of the Space and Naval Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego ask Thales Defense and Security Inc. in Clarksburg, Michigan, to continue to build and deliver system components and engineering services for the High Frequency Distribution Amplifier Group (HF-DAG).
The HF-DAG replacement program is designed as a significant upgrade of the technology to the existing HF communication systems located on US Navy ships. The HF-DAG contract requires Thales to provide 1,000 watts power amplifiers and flexible power management modules (FPMU).
HF-DAG supports automated broadband communication that supports communication transmission and reception modes such as duplex / simplex voice, continuous wave (CW), teletype, digital exchange, amplitude modulation (AM) and Link 11 HF network.
Related: Navy selects marine radar power amplifiers from L3 Electron and CPI Beverly Microwave
The HF-DAG Communication Group supports the AN / USC-61 (C) Fleet Digital Modular Radio (DMR) communication package from General Dynamics Corp. Mission Systems in Scottsdale, Arizona. Electromet Corp. in Hagerstown, Michigan, provides electronic enclosures for Navy DMR communications kits.
The Navy has awarded this contract to Thales as the sole source, as the company’s broadband high-frequency components are the only ones that connect to AN / USC-61 (C) DMR. ship communications system, fleet officials say.
SPAWAR awarded this contract on behalf of the Executive Director of the Naval Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Program (PEO C4I), Communications Program Office (PMW / A 170) in San Diego.
HF-DAG supports AN / USC-61 (C) marine radios to allow naval warships and submarines to communicate over the high frequency (HF), ultra high frequency (UHF) line of sight, UHF satellite communications (SATCOM) and high frequency radio frequencies. high frequency (VHF).
Related: Broadband RF and microwave power amplifier for communications and EW, presented by NuWaves
AN / USC-61 (C) DMR is a ship software defined radio (SDR) that has become the standard for the US military. The compact multi-channel DMR provides several different waveforms and multi-level information security for voice and data communication.
The radio includes built-in type 1 encryption; built-in red / black switching and routing of the main band; implementation of a joint site; reduced labor requirements; single control point for radio frequencies HF / VHF / UHF / SATCOM; and built-in test (BIT).
Software-defined radio waves are computer programs that allow SDR-enabled radios to operate on different bands with different encryption and cybersecurity features. AN / USC-61 (C) operates on surface ships of the Navy, submarines and other military platforms, using frequencies from 2 MHz to 2 GHz.
General Dynamics is DMR certified for transmitting voice and data protection to multiple independent security levels (MILS) over HF, VHF, UHF and SATCOM channels and to withstand the effects of electromagnetic interference and other harsh operating conditions.
The DMR is also certified by the Joint Interoperability Testing Team (JITC) to meet U.S. Government MIL-STD-188-181B / 182A / 183A requirements for UHF SATCOM. General Dynamics builds AN / USC-61 (C) using open architecture standards.
Under this five-year contract for HF-DAG, Thales will work in Clarksburg, Md .; and West Sussex, England, and should be completed by January 2024. For more information, contact Thales Defense and Security online at www.thalesdsi.com, or SPAWAR on www.public.navy.mil.
Are you ready to make a purchase? Search the Military and Space Electronics Buyer’s Guide for companies, new products, press releases and videos