Tactical Data Links
A well-established player
Past performance information and customer base picture demonstrate that DIGINEXT features an extensive track record in delivering best-in-class and mature multi-link simulation capabilities to be used for test and live training environments. Its products, such as TACTX2, STARLINX and SOLSTICE can today be found in service over leading government and industry sites, both domestic and international, so as to support engineering, development, integration, qualification, interoperability testing, training and maintenance of data link capable systems as part of high-profile defence programs.
DIGINEXT is proud to serve the largest user group in Europe (Italy, Germany, Finland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom). NATO is one of DIGINEXT’s key references. NACMA (NATO ACCS Management Agency) has selected TACTX as the gold standard test tool for one of the most important C4I development program, the ACCS LOC1 (NATO Air Command and Control System). Those products are currently used by the NPC (NATO Programming Centre) at the STVF (System Test and Validation Facility) to support testing and qualification of L11, L11B and L16 functionalities within the ACCS host core software together with twice yearly NATO TDL Interoperability Test Exercises (NTDLIOT).
Proven and mature solution
DIGINEXT solutions are the outcome of a long term, evolutionary and coherent strategy that has started since its creation. DIGINEXT decided to position its simulation products so as to fulfil the NATO Nations interoperability testing requirements together with OPSPECs / CONOPs definition and experimentation. Throughout this period of time, DIGINEXT has significantly progressed with its customers and its capabilities have been enhanced for being able to interact with a wide array of Air / Sea / Land C² and non C² platforms featuring various data link standard implementations and multiple radio terminal interfaces.
Those products are available with no further developments required and will guarantee to the customer the following aspects:
- Certification in the field through different kind of platforms (such as C2/NC2 Air, Naval or Land platforms, GBAD, SAM,…) and various editions of both STANAGs or MIL-STDs implementation.
- Comprehensive, mature and fully compliant Multi Link Processing implementation (according to STANAGs and MIL-STDs) as well as flexible connectivity to the most common radio terminal interfaces.
- Unprecedented ease of use combined with technical / operational-oriented graphical user interfaces to be used not only by software test and integration engineers but also by military support staff and operators.
DIGINEXT is also actively involved in both national and NATO data link interoperability achievement by supporting distributed testing activities among local or geographically dispersed test rigs using SIMPLE (STANAG 5602) and DIS/HLA protocols. DIGINEXT products have been thoroughly used and proven as part of previous and current NTDLIOT exercises and is today the system of choice of, (amongst others) NATO, France, UK, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Portugal… The company’s proven know-how in this domain has led to DIGINEXT being officially mandated by the French MoD to become the preferred national SIMPLE standard custodian with proactive contribution in research and SCPs (SIMPLE Change Proposal) production.
Since security is also a critical issue especially when conducting multinational exercises, DIGINEXT has incorporated into its products a suite of protection mechanisms such as a “SIMPLE firewall” and “Online external communication surveillance, filtering and management facility”. Thanks to those security measures, the French MoD DGA MI (French hub for IO) has been officially accredited by NATO for participation in NATO TDL Tests.
Versatile products line
Thanks to the flexible design of its product line, DIGINEXT has the advantage of occupying a clearly differentiated position compared to its competitors. DIGINEXT products have the benefit of being individual components that are functionally complementary rather than all-in-one system integrating several functional capabilities, which may or may not be required. This allows customers to set-up complete open and modular systems test bed according to their specific requirements and budget as well as easy switch among all desired test and training environments.
DIGINEXT’s top Tactical Data Link product line includes:
TACTX2
TACTX2 is an advanced Multilink Simulation and Test Tool (L11, L11B, L16/JREAP, VMF, L22) able to interact with live networks over real terminals, data link capable systems and multiple remote test sites over WAN using emulated terminals and SIMPLE / DIS / HLA interface. It provides the ability to design and execute complex scenarios that consist of simulated tactical elements (units, tracks, points…) in Air / Sea / Land environments, with their realistic motions models, and generate the associated surveillance and NC²/C² messages in strict conformance with message baselines, Tx/Rx rules and operating procedures.
TACTX2 is the unique Multilink Simulation and Test Tool still supporting the evolutions on one hand of STANAG and on the other hand of MIL-STD standards.
DirectCGF
DirectCGF is a breakthrough Computer Generated Forces (CGF) enabling to create, configurate and run advanced tactical scenarios involving various kind of interacting and cooperating platforms. Platforms represent simulated entities and are composed of numerical models that describe their capabilities, equipments and intelligent behaviors. DirectCGF is shipped with a huge library of platforms including civilian and military aircrafts&helicopters, UAV, ground vehicles, ships, submarines and missiles. Application areas include design and evaluation of operational concepts (CONOPS), equipments or defense systems, or populating trainee tactical environment with semi-automated forces in order to improve realism and efficiency of training sessions. DirectCGF supports native interoperability with other simulation or simulators through DIS and HLA standards and communication with live or C2 systems through DIGINEXT standards Tactical Data Links solutions or through C-BML or other specific interfaces.
NETX
NETX assumes the L16 network behaviors simulation in order to distribute realistic data to student’s position, in particular the “Network Manager Position”. All J series messages generated by a position, are computed by the NETX software before distributed to all other positions (or one other position in case of an addressed message) The NETX embedded distribution is processed in accordance with the network design, the coverage capability and special instructor events.
TTU16 NG
Through the L16 Terminal Transportable Unit (TTU16 NG), DIGINEXT has developed an innovative all-in-one capability for the war fighters to deploy, integrate and operate L16 MIDS LVTs on any Air / Sea / Land platforms in timely, versatile and cost effective manner. Designed for both laboratory and operational use over the battlefield, the TTU 16 NG is a robust and fully portable system providing whole of the necessary equipments, functions and interfaces to guarantee an effective, reliable and secure operation of MIDS LVTs. The last version of TTU16 NG is already compliant of MIDS BU2.
High growth potential and low through-life support cost
DIGINEXT has implemented a smart approach when designing its products’ graphical user interfaces and general look and feel, especially for test scenarios preparation and execution as well as for resulting test data extraction and reduction. DIGINEXT has taken into account the future system operators and maintainers concerns in order to supply user-oriented handy products simplifying day-to-day duties and minimizing related utilization and ownership costs.
On the system corrective and evolutionary maintenance front, DIGINEXT has been using a cutting-edge internal tactical data link software development workshop that dramatically makes simpler current and future software realizations while giving the possibility to introduce upgrades (i.e. new link standards, editions, message baseline, DLCPs, terminal interfaces, functionalities…) at least cost possible and in timely manner.
Participative maintenance concept
DIGINEXT also differs from competition by proposing an attractive maintenance concept where the backbone is to create a community spirit and allow the customer to directly influence the maintenance road map and developments for future software versions.
This concept is built on the following principles:
- New products or version updates are released
- Releases are produced according to a road map
- Evolution of the products benefits to all customers under maintenance contract
The road map is elaborated from performance of original contract requirements, own improvements and above all, the customer’s upgrade demands. At any time customers are given the possibility to express the functions they would like to have into the system through the User Wish List. Based on all submissions, DIGINEXT decides the order of precedence for the evolutions. A formal reunion is settled each year via the annual DIGINEXT’s Tactical Data Links Symposium (TDLS) with the aim to keep customers informed about details of current and upcoming software versions as well as to share lessons learnt from individual experimentations and exercises.
Consultancy services
DIGINEXT is also focused on providing an extensive range of innovative and high-quality services in the tactical data link area:
Global validation services for TDLs integration into combat platforms +
- Analysis and development of Detailed Implementation Plans (PID)
- Definition and execution of test plans and scenarios
- Sorting and analysis of test results
TDL operation training services +
Expertise and consultancy services +
- Analysis and follow-up of communication standard protocols (STANAG 5511, 5516, 5522, 5518, 5616, 5602, MIL-STD 6016C and associated ADapP)
- Overall operation and performance evaluation of L11, L16, L22, JREAP, VMF and multi links networks.
- Operation and performance analysis of transmission equipments (DTS, MIDS/JTIDS terminal, SNC/SPC and IDM)
Software and systems engineering services +
- Customer operational requirements feasibility study and specification
- Software design and development
- System integration
- Test and Validation
- Installation, maintenance and technical support
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