Objective Interface Systems, Inc. (OIS), of Herndon, Va., announced this week that its ORBexpress middleware was chosen as the foundation for the Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminal. The MIDS JTRS terminals provide high-capacity, jam-resistant digital communications of real-time tactical data and voice communication among U.S. and coalition forces on the ground, at sea and in the air. MIDS JTRS was jointly developed by ViaSat, Inc. and Data Link Solutions L.L.C., who independently produce MIDS JTRS terminals for the U.S. government.
All JTRS radios are based on the Software Communications Architecture (SCA), which uses the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) as the communications middleware framework. ViaSat and DLS selected ORBexpress to provide this critical CORBA foundation for their MIDS JTRS terminal. ViaSat has separately received a limited production order valued at $14.4 million for its MIDS JTRS terminals.
Designed to support functions such as integrated navigation, surveillance, identification, air control, weapons engagement coordination and force direction, the MIDS JTRS terminals will be deployed on platforms ranging from naval warships to aircraft, as well as ground-based command centers. The MIDS JTRS terminal increases capacity over the original MIDS-LVT single channel capability by providing four channels, including the legacy Link-16 and TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) channel and three 2 MHz to 2 GHz programmable channels.