Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) is the

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

name for the communication component of

Link-16 Link 16 is a military tactical data link network used by NATO and nations allowed by the MIDS International Program Office (IPO). Its specification is part of the family of Tactical Data Links. With Link 16, military aircraft as well as ships ...

. MID is an advanced command, control, communications, computing and intelligence (

C4I Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...

) system incorporating high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital communication links for exchange of near real-time tactical information, including both data and voice, among air, ground, and sea elements. MIDS is intended to support key theater functions such as surveillance, identification, air control, weapons engagement coordination and direction for all Services. The MIDS program includes two different families of receiver synthesizer line cards: * MIDS-LVT (Low volume terminal): LVT(1), LVT(2), or LVT(3). * MIDS-JTRS (Joint Tactical Radio System Terminals). MIDS-JTRS is a

Software Defined Radio Software-defined radio (SDR) is a radio communication system where components that have been traditionally implemented in analog hardware (e.g. mixers, filters, amplifiers, modulators/demodulators, detectors, etc.) are instead implemented by ...

(SDR) that is compliant with the JTRS Software Communication Architecture (SCA). MIDS JTRS maintains the Link-16, J-Voice, and TACAN functionality of the older MIDS-LVT standard, and adds link-16 enhanced throughput (ET), link-16 frequency remapping (FR), and programmable crypto. The MIDS terminal is based on the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) data-link technology with 128 time slots per second; during each time slot, only one terminal is allowed to transmit while all the other terminals on the same network are set to receive. To improve the anti-jamming capability signals are spread over 51 frequencies in the 960-1215 MHz frequency band; transmission is inhibited around the two

IFF In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (shortened as "iff") is a biconditional logical connective between statements, where either both statements are true or both are false. The connective is bicon ...

band (1030 and 1090 MHz.) The maximum output power of a MIDS terminal is 200 Watts which allows an operational range of 300 miles; range can be extended by relaying information between intermediate terminals.

MIDS Components

The MIDS terminal consists of two different Line Replacement Units (LRUs): the Main Terminal and the Remote Power supply (RPS). The Main Terminal consists of 10 Shop Replaceable Units (SRUs): *

Chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...

* Power Amplifier (PA) * Exciter/IPF ( Interference Protection Feature) * Receiver Synthesizer (R/S, 2 per terminal), Either LVT(1), LVT(2), LVT(3), or JTRS Terminals * Signal Message Processor (SMP) *

Tactical Air Navigation A tactical air navigation system, commonly referred to by the acronym TACAN, is a navigation system used by military aircraft. It provides the user with bearing and distance (slant-range or hypotenuse) to a ground or ship-borne station. It is a mor ...

(TACAN) * Voice * Tailored Processor (TP)/Avionic MUX (1553B/3910) * Data Processor (DP)/Ground MUX (X.25/Ethernet) * Receiver-Transmitter Interface (RTI/Discrete) In addition there are a few accessories required by some specific platforms: * High Power Amplifier Interface Assembly (HIA) * Direct Current Adapter (DCA) * Alternate Current Adapter (ACA) The MIDS terminal is equipped with four different interfaces to communicate with the host platform: *

MIL-STD-1553B MIL-STD-1553 is a military standard published by the United States Department of Defense that defines the mechanical, electrical, and functional characteristics of a serial data bus. It was originally designed as an avionic data bus for use with ...

* STANAG 3910 *

Ethernet Ethernet () is a family of wired computer networking technologies commonly used in local area networks (LAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN) and wide area networks (WAN). It was commercially introduced in 1980 and first standardized in 198 ...

X.25 X.25 is an ITU-T standard protocol suite for packet-switched data communication in wide area networks (WAN). It was originally defined by the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT, now ITU-T) in a series of drafts ...

Data rate can vary between 108 and 238 kbit/s, depending on the interface used. Secure voice messages are available with two different rates: 16 kbit/s and 2.4 kbit/s. The MIDS SW consists of two main configuration items: * Core SW (basically a modified JTIDS SW), which handles the LINK-16 messages; * Tailored Input/Output (I/O) SW, which handles communications with the host platform. MIDS Terminals exchange communication data with an onboard computer platform known as the Host which will format, filter, and/or condition communication data for presentation.

MIDS Receiver Synthesizer line cards variants

MIDS-JTRS

MIDS-JTRS is a

that is compliant with the JTRS Software Communication Architecture (SCA). MIDS-JTRS is a replacement for the MIDS-LVT and adds three additional channels for JTRS wavesforms. As the MIDS-LVT migrates to the JTRS compliance, the system will maintain its link 16 and TACAN functionality with Navy and Air Force platforms that use MIDS-LVT but also accommodates future technologies and capabilities as part of MIDS-JTRS. MIDS JTRS improvements include enhanced link 16 throughput, link 16 frequency remappings and programmable crypto. MIDS-JTRS will provide an additional three 2-megahertz or 2 gigahertz programmable channels to accommodate incremental delivery of advanced JTRS waveforms.2010 Weapon Systems By Defense Department, Government Printing Office, Google Books, 2014

MIDS-LVT

The MIDS family includes 3 main variants. * LVT(1), which was developed for integration on a multitude of surface and airborne platforms, and is characterized by PhEN 3910,

, and

physical interfaces, and the adoption of both Voice and TACAN functions. * LVT(2) was developed by the US, specifically to satisfy the requirements set by the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

. This terminal is characterized by unique power supply and blower systems, and by the Army Data Distribution System Interface (ADDSI) X.25 interface. * FDLT or LVT(3) (Fighter Data Link Terminal) specifically developed to meet the requirements of F-15 fighter platforms. Additional variants: * MoS (MIDS On Ship) designed for rack mounting (in place of JTIDS), with specific power supply and high power amplifier units. Overall 11 different variants of the MIDS-LVT are known. One commonly used instance of an MIDS is the MIDS Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT) which has been funded by the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

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Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, and

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and developed by MIDSCO, a joint venture by

Thomson CSF Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market. Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Houst ...

, GEC,

Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...

, Italtel, and Enosa. Another such terminal is the MIDS-JTRS (MIDS

Joint Tactical Radio System The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) aimed to replace existing radios in the American military with a single set of software-defined radios that could have new frequencies and modes (“waveforms”) added via upload, instead of requiring mult ...

), which is currently under development by the United States. An older MIDS is the JTIDS (Joint Tactical Information Distribution System). Currently, there are three production lines, which are competitors: ViaSat, Inc (USA), Data Link Solutions LLC (USA), and EuroMIDS (Europe).

References

*Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminal (LVT) Development and Integration Programs Towards LINK-16 Network Centric Allied/Coalition Operations (UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED), Roberto Sabatini (MAJ Italian Air Force) et al. {{Reflist

External links