The CVRi2 system has been designed to support the airborne and land-based platforms that fall under the NC3 capability. Credit: © Collins Aerospace.

The US Air Force (USAF) has selected Collins Aerospace to deliver a modern communication system for the service’s future Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC).

The estimated value of the 30-month period of performance (POP) contract is approximately $42m.

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As part of the new award, the company will work on the initial development of a modern ‘common very low frequency (VLF) receiver increment 2 (CVRi2)’ system for the SAOC Weapon System programme.

This work will also support the modernisation effort of the USAF’s Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) capability.

Collins Aerospace Integrated Solutions vice-president and general manager John Sapp said: “Collins has been providing its VLF terminals for decades, and this new equipment has been designed to meet rigorous SAOC requirements.

“Our new modern OpenVPX architecture will provide the USAF with expanded capability to ensure our warfighters are equipped to meet our nation’s greatest threats.”

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Collins’ new product line, featuring the CVRi2, is a survivable and beyond-line-of-sight communication system.

It is a pre-attack, trans-attack and post-attack system that can be used to distribute various command and control orders, as well as crucial presidential directions to the country’s nuclear forces.

The system has been designed to provide the necessary support for the airborne and land-based platforms that fall under the NC3 capability.

The company said that the new system is in accordance with the Open Mission System and Modular Open Systems Approach standards, which makes it a significant element of the SAOC Weapon System.

Based on an open architecture, the CVRi2 system will allow the USAF to support the technical baseline for future growth.

The modern OpenVPX architecture integrated with the system is designed for the SAOC’s nuclear-hardened environment.

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