Lockheed Martin has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a 56-month contract worth up to $240 million, to provide critical technologies for the Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station (AMF) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). An initial $186 million subcontract has been awarded for the development of the Software Defined Radio (SDR) development for AMF JTRS.

Northrop Grumman will assume responsibility for leading the JTR integrated product team and for co-development of the Joint Tactical (JTR) small airborne (JTR-SA) hardware and software. Combined with the other elements in the program, including communications automation, networking, and platform solutions; the JTR is a key piece of the enabling capability for a next generation of interoperable tactical communications.

Northrop Grumman will also provide common JTR software for two JTR form factors, wideband power amplifiers, and the use of Northrop's Advanced Communications Test Center in San Diego for the integration and test site for the JTR-SA radio, waveforms and ancillaries. The development activities will take place in San Diego and supportability studies will be conducted in Sierra Vista AZ.

AMF JTRS will develop a communications capability that includes two software-defined, multifunction radio form factors for the use by the U.S. Department of Defense and for potential use by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. AMF JTRS will enable operation of highly-secure, high performance military tactical networks, as well as connecting air, land and sea forces in a network-centric environment. The AMF system will interoperate with legacy data and voice circuits used by the U.S., allied and NATO military forces, as well as communicate with civilian first-responder voice and data systems used in disaster relief and other national emergencies.

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