L3Harris Technologies has been awarded a massive indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract from the U.S. Navy, valued at up to $999 million, to supply cutting-edge communication technology to U.S. and coalition forces. This pivotal agreement underscores the company’s role as a leader in defense communications and its commitment to bolstering secure and effective military operations worldwide.
MIDS JTRS: A Backbone of Modern Military Communications
Under the contract, L3Harris will provide its Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminals. As one of two providers of this critical system, L3Harris will deliver Link 16-capable, software-defined radios to be deployed across air, ground, and maritime platforms.
The MIDS JTRS terminals operate on the Link 16 network, an essential multi-domain system that provides secure communications, situational awareness, command and control capabilities, and targeting information. This interoperability is vital for real-time coordination among U.S. and allied forces, enhancing their ability to operate seamlessly in complex, dynamic environments.
CEO Highlights Strategic Importance
L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik emphasized the system’s role in fostering coalition success:
“The current threat environment requires the United States and its coalition partners collaborating together, in real time, to stamp out adversarial aggression near ally and partner sovereign borders. Our resilient technology ensures all users in these coalitions know where friendly forces are and what they are doing to inform a common operating picture and achieve mission success.”
Expanding Tactical Connectivity
This contract further leverages L3Harris’s acquisition of the Link 16 Tactical Data Links product line, completed in January 2023. The company’s extensive portfolio of communication solutions already provides Link 16 connectivity across air, land, and sea domains, with development underway to extend these capabilities to space-based platforms, broadening the scope of multi-domain operations.
With 24 years of experience delivering standardized, interoperable communication systems, L3Harris has become a trusted partner for the U.S. military and 57 allied nations. The MIDS JTRS system represents the culmination of this expertise, ensuring critical communication reliability and situational awareness for a broad coalition of military forces.
Strategic Implications
This $999 million IDIQ award bolsters the U.S. Navy’s ability to deploy advanced communication systems amid an evolving threat landscape. The Link 16 network ensures a secure, real-time common operating picture for coalition forces, enabling coordinated responses to adversarial actions across domains.
As military operations increasingly demand resilient, multi-domain connectivity, L3Harris’s solutions position the U.S. and its allies to maintain superiority in communications and coordination, ensuring mission success in a complex global security environment.