Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract by the USAF to develop and demonstrate a Software Programmable Open Mission Systems (OMS) Compliant (SPOC) radio terminal.

The company says its SPOC solution will provide the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center with an air-to-ground and air-to-air communications capability across four radio frequency waveforms including Link-16 CMN-4, Common Data Link (CDL), Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) and Multiuser Objective System (MUOS).

“Our solution for SPOC provides a mature hardware and software development kit that allows the Air Force to rapidly develop and prototype innovative communications solutions from any provider on an open architecture networking terminal that can be quickly taken into flight test and production,” vice president, communications, airborne sensors and networks division, Northrop Grumman, Roshan Roeder said in a statement.

“With the Air Force taking responsibility for developing the airborne communications network infrastructure for the Advanced Battle Management System, SPOC radio will allow the Air Force to rapidly develop, test, fly and iterate,” he added

The SPOC will open the F-35 communications, navigation and identification (CNI) system to third-party developers, ownership of Link 16 development, sharing of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information over a common data link, and Mobile User Objective System beyond line of sight capability.