Lockheed Martin has delivered the second Small Airborne Joint Tactical Radio Engineering Development Model to the C-130J and C-5 System Integration Laboratories in Marietta, Ga. Once integrated, the system will enable airmen, sailors, and soldiers to communicate across a variety of military platforms via a secure voice and data link, according to a company release. “This is yet another successful milestone as we move to link Air Force, Army, and Navy communications,” said Mark Norris, vice president for Lockheed’s joint tactical network solutions. “This delivery … supports platform integration risk reduction efforts for both C-130J and C-5 and further demonstrates the ability of a software defined radio to meet the evolving communications needs of our warfighters.” Nine C-130 models, including the C-130J, C-130AMP, AC-130U, HC-130, and MC-130 are expected to incorporate AMF JTRS. Lockheed announced in May that it had reduced the overall cost of the program from an estimated $16 billion two years ago to just over $4 billion today.
The Air Force uses billions of gallons of fuel every year, the vast majority of it dedicated to aviation fuel to power its fleet of aircraft. But as the Defense Department seeks to increase its energy efficiency and secure its power grids, the department’s biggest consumer of fuel is looking…