Video Conundrum

The US DoD's software-defined Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) currently works with three waveforms: transformational networking waveforms, legacy waveforms such as those used for SATCOM and networking management waveforms. However, the JTRS library cannot accept the Common Data Link (CDL) waveform because the radios do not operate in frequencies higher than two GHz. On the other hand, the JTRS program has spawned a number of lightweight, add-on devices, such as miniature CDL receivers and transmitters manufactured by Cubic. The four-W transceiver has been flight tested on UAVs including the KillerBee, Aerosonde, Outlaw and Skylark II. Harris has also designed a handheld video ISR receiver that receives tactical video feeds in L-, S- and C-band.