Accelerate Defense Modernization through Strategic Sourcing
Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
Curtiss-Wright has updated its TCG HUNTR tactical data link hub and network translator to version 1.3, adding Link 22 and MAVLink capabilities to connect crewed, uncrewed, and command and control platforms across tactical networks.
The software-based gateway is designed to establish complete interoperability across defense domains by unifying sensor feeds, automating protocol translation, and shortening sensor-to-shooter timelines. Integrating MAVLink incorporates unmanned aircraft system position data into the broader tactical picture, enabling command and control platforms to issue direct mission commands to unmanned assets while assisting operators with safe airspace deconfliction alongside crewed aircraft. In parallel, the addition of Link 22 expands operational reach across air, land, and maritime environments, allowing coalition forces to dynamically assign assets as missions evolve.
Zaki Barak, General Manager, Tactical Communications Group, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions, said, “TCG HUNTR 1.3 streamlines complex workflows into one platform, drastically reducing an operator’s cognitive load during high-stress missions, enabling greater situational awareness and enhanced combat survivability. TCG HUNTR 1.3 replaces the need to switch between disparate protocols by consolidating TDL initialization, C2 messaging, and data manipulation into a single interface.”
The updated gateway was demonstrated during Exercise Timber Express, a live coalition exercise led by the German Air Force. Installed on a German ground vehicle alongside existing HUNTR installations deployed on German air and ground platforms, the system supported the first live operation integrating Link 22, VMF, JREAP, and Link 16 across multiple domains by translating and routing tactical data across disparate networks.
TCG HUNTR 1.3 automates routing, forwarding, and translation across Link 16 J-Series, VMF K-Series, Cursor on Target, and CESMO, with Link 22 and MAVLink further expanding tactical network interoperability. By centralizing multi-protocol translation, data routing, and role-based access control into a software-centric architecture, the platform avoids costly hardware overhauls while reducing size, weight, and power demands on aircraft and ground vehicles.
