Boeing, Lockheed Martin Get Future Radio Contract

Aviation Week & Space Technology 09/13/04
author: Robert Wall

Boeing and Lockheed Martin will square off over the next 15 months to determine which company will develop and supply the radio for the bulk of the U.S. military's aircraft fleet.

The Pentagon just awarded Boeing a $54.6-million contract and Lockheed Martin $51.3 million for the airborne, maritime and fixed station (AMF) component of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)--a much larger Defense Dept. effort to field a new generation of software-programmable radios. Northrop Grumman was the losing bidder.

Potential users of the JTRS AMF will include high-flying Global Hawk unmanned aircraft, the Air Force One Boeing 747, clandestinely operated CV-22 tiltrotors and MH-53 Pave Low helicopters. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft, as well as Army fixed-wing aviation, are on the planned users' list. The program value is expected to top $1 billion.