L3Harris Secures Air Force Contract for Multi-Domain Network Support

The U.S. Air Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to develop a network solution supporting multi-domain operations.

Under the IDIQ, L3Harris will develop a Common Tactical Edge Network that would provide an aerial military internet of things. The CTEN will include a mesh network comprising defense and commercial resources that enhance aerial interoperability for U.S. and allied forces and high-speed data processing and sharing solutions for the tactical edge.

The CTEN will initially connect Air Force platforms to improve joint force connectivity. It would enhance the service’s Advanced Battle Management System, L3Harris said Tuesday.

Ron Fehlen, vice president of Air Force and unmanned aerial systems programs at L3Harris, said the envisioned solution would help advance the Department of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control vision and would ultimately deliver capabilities that would improve interoperability between open and closed systems.

The L3Harris award follows a similar CTEN contract the Air Force awarded to Raytheon Intelligence & Space in December. Under the Raytheon contract, the company was tasked with improving networking products that enable aerial network interoperability.