Modern warfighters depend on timely, accurate data to carry out their missions. This mission-critical data used by military organizations around the world is reliably and securely shared across tactical data links (TDLs). Data can come from any number of sources, such as air, ground, or sea platforms. However, because different devices use different TDL types for communications, a highly sophisticated TDL gateway is required to translate information across all of the various link types.
Unfortunately, there has been a huge disconnect between historical TDL gateway designs and modern military requirements. Existing gateway systems can be the size of a small refrigerator mounted on a trailer that is towed behind a land vehicle or placed in a large aircraft. Additionally, they are notoriously difficult and time-consuming to set up, configure, and operate. These legacy gateways were intended to be used behind the scenes at Air Operations Centers (AOC) and Control and Reporting Centers (CRCs) by teams of highly experienced experts working in a controlled environment. They were not designed for use by warfighters who are actively engaged in mission activities at the tactical edge of the battlefield.
It simply doesn’t make sense for warfighters to haul around heavy, cumbersome equipment that they don’t have the knowledge, skills, or time to operate. Often, when military equipment is difficult and time-consuming to use, it gets left behind. Instead, warfighters need a TDL gateway that is so easy to set up that anyone with minimal training can simply push a button to start the gateway and have the system become fully operational within a few seconds.
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