BAE Systems awarded a $85 million contract to deliver Network Tactical Common Data Links to the U.S. Navy.
NTCDL enhances situational awareness and tactical battlefield advantage of the U.S. Navy through real-time and simultaneous networked operations
In 2024, the U.S. Navy awarded BAE Systems an $85 million production contract to deliver additional Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) systems. NTCDL will enable real-time voice, data, imagery, and full-motion video exchange from various air, surface, subsurface, and man-portable sources. Systems under the company’s current contract are presently being installed on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and will be installed on new Constellation-class frigates.
“We have designed and produced a faster next-generation system to meet the demands of our customers’ evolving connectivity mission requirements,” said Amber Dolan, Adaptive Communications and Sensing director at BAE Systems. “BAE Systems is committed to providing the U.S. Navy with a trusted and secure solution to transmit and receive the critical information needed to accomplish its missions across the fleet.”
NTCDL is a multi-platform solution for all U.S. Navy Common Data Link (CDL) requirements. It is a modular, scalable system designed to increase link capacity and embrace waveform evolution. NTCDL supports multiple, simultaneous, networked operations using currently fielded CDL equipment and next-generation manned and unmanned platforms. It enables operators to transmit and receive real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from multiple sources and exchange command and control information across separate or independent networks. This allows for effective communication among forces to maintain an advantage.
This award modifies an existing BAE Systems contract to extend the program’s total performance period by three years. As the original developer and manufacturer of the NTCDL system, BAE Systems has the engineering and production capabilities to meet the program’s urgent fielding timeline requirements.