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The U.S. Army has tapped L3 Technologies to enable communications and data teaming between manned and unmanned aircraft. According to the company, the Army has awarded it multiple contracts totaling $97 million, following the successful completion of another connectivity contract for the same program.
L3’s new deliverables would support the Army’s Boeing Apache Manned/Unmanend Teaming-eXpanded Capabilities (MUMT-X) helicopter program. In 2015, the company delivered systems for high-speed transmissions of wideband video and data under an MUMT-X communications upgrade contract. Now, L3 is to deliver a system that is more robust, lighter and less expensive than the original unmanned aircraft system (UAS) control system.
“Our performance on the MUMT-X development program illustrates our commitment to providing innovative technology that meets the needs of the warfighter,” said Christopher E. Kubasik, L3’s president and COO. “This contract award continues L3’s long-term support of the Apache program.”
In the program’s current phase, L3 said it is to supply tested and certified Apache MUMT-X above rotor UAS Receive (UR) technology solutions to support MUMT operations and air-to-air-to-ground (AAG) line-of-sight data links. L3 Communication Systems-West, part of L3’s communication systems business segment, would complete the work.