j20blackdragon
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Don't let U.S. defense industry marketing fool you with fancy acronyms.
The use of tactical data-links (i.e. encrypted, jam-resistant radio communications) to network disparate platforms together have been around for 40 years.
Go ahead and do some research on JTIDS, MIDS, and Link 16.
The first JTIDS communications terminals were large and were installed only on AWACS and warships to provide radar tracking and targeting information to Air Force F-15C and Navy F-14D interceptors.
As technology got better, the MIDS program was created to put small, lightweight Link 16 terminals on U.S. and participating allies’ fighter aircraft.
Today, NIFC-CA seeks to bring even small missiles (like SM-6 and LRASM) into the network along with drones, aircraft, and ships merging vast amounts of information together into one common operating picture.
But make no mistake. It is still just radio communications.
Do you know what else is highly advanced radio communications? Huawei's 5G.
In fact, Huawei's gigabit-level wireless speeds available to civilians make the military Link 16 look antiquated.
Also let me state the obvious.
Without the existence of stable robust data links no UAV mission can be performed.
Explain to me how these Chinese high-end drones can even function without line-of-sight data link (probably in C-band) and Ku-band SATCOM?
Keep in mind drone takeoff and landing is done in real-time with man-in-the-loop. There's no way you would want to automate an armed drone packed with explosives without human intervention at your own air base.
A drone is constantly sending data like wind speed, location, and direction.
A drone is able to stream near-real-time, high-resolution video from the other side of the planet.