Northrop Grumman has submitted its proposal for the development and integration phase of the U.S. Marine Corps Common Aviation Command and Control System.
The CAC2S provides a complete modernization of the Marine Air Command and Control System. CAC2S will replace dissimilar legacy systems with a common, open, modular, scalable design based on proven, high-technology readiness level hardware and software components.
“In addition to meeting all CAC2S requirements, Northrop Grumman’s best-value solution is a truly expeditionary package that can perform direct air support center functions while on the move,” said Pat Camacho, vice president of integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman Information Systems. “All core electronics components are integrated on Humvee platforms and preconfigured with data and communications capability between the operations center and antenna hill.”
Northrop Grumman’s cost-effective offering builds on and enhances the communications, processing and display functionality previously developed. It also integrates critical sensor and data communication capabilities including Link 16, the Composite Tracking Network and AN/TPS-59 and AN/TPS-63 radars. As the key developer of emerging technologies such as the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar and Link 22, Northrop Grumman is uniquely positioned to integrate them into CAC2S.
“Our CAC2S variants for the Direct Air Support Center and the Tactical Air Operations Center are designed to be set up and fully configured in 40 minutes or less,” said Camacho.
The system can scale up to the much larger Tactical Aviation Command and Control Center variant without additional core electronics equipment at the operations center. Northrop Grumman’s innovative network design scales up to 216 workstations by using a series of fault-tolerant Ethernet circuits.
Northrop Grumman’s CAC2S solution offers the following distinguishing features:
- Robust TYQ-23 air command and control (C2) software that implements Marine Corps tactics, techniques and procedures
- Real-time track management software with customizable track prioritization capability to minimize latency and optimize bandwidth utilization
- Productivity enhancement tools including tactical dashboards drawn from the battle commanders’ display concept and Marine Corps tactical service-oriented architecture initiatives
- Virtualization and high assurance equipment consolidation strategies including the embedded gateway manager for Joint Range Extension Application Protocol processing
- Advanced Simulation and Combat Operational Mission and Training tools to deliver offline training during live operations and distributed training and simulation
The company’s rugged packaging design for CAC2S electronic equipment provides self-contained thermal, shock, vibration, environmental and electromagnetic interference hardening that will make possible the use and upgrade of commercial off-the-shelf components without modification or requalification. The thermal and structural efficiency of the design significantly reduces weight and fuel consumption.
Northrop Grumman is a leading provider of open, nonproprietary C2 systems and mobile, configurable command centers across the U.S. Department of Defense. The company has extensive experience with Marine Corps tactical air and ground operations, radar data processing and radar control, tactical data links, interoperable communications systems, and reduced footprint environmental and packaging technologies. Northrop Grumman will also draw upon its extensive net-centric, large-scale systems management and integration expertise to ensure an affordable, executable program that will deliver an operationally relevant system to the Marine Corps.
