26 August 2022

Morocco requests ground command-and-control systems from US

by Olivia Savage

Pictured is the MIDS-JTRS terminal, which provides land, sea, and air forces with communications, navigation, and identification capabilities. (Data Link Solutions)

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Morocco for ground command-and-control equipment.

Announced on 25 August by the US State Department, Morocco has requested to purchase six Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS) from the US for an estimated USD141.1 million.

Prime contractors for the proposed sale include General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Leonardo.

According to the announcement, the technology will improve Morocco's ability to meet current and future threats by providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and target acquisition for its security and defence.

The request also includes KY-100M Narrowband/Wideband Terminals, KIV-78 and KIV-77 Cryptographic Appliques, AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loader (SKL), additional secure communications, cryptographic devices, and precision navigation equipment, spare parts, and training.

MIDS-JTRS is a four-channel software programmable radio delivering Link 16 and tactical air navigation system (TACAN) functionality on one channel along with three additional channels supporting JTRS advanced networking waveforms within the 2 MHz to 2 GHz frequency band – including the Airborne Networking Waveform (ANW). It incorporates additional features compared with its predecessor – MIDS Low Volume Terminal (LVT) – including link-16 enhanced throughput (ET), link-16 frequency remapping (FR), and programmable crypto.

The MIDS-JTRS can implement emerging airborne waveforms and incorporate future waveform enhancements through software downloads.

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