BAE Systems Awarded $85M Contract to Deliver Network Tactical Common Data Links to the U.S. Navy

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

In 2024, the U.S. Navy awarded BAE Systems an $85 million production contract to deliver additional Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) systems. NTCDL will enable a real-time exchange of voice, data, imagery, and full-motion video from a variety of air, surface, subsurface, and man-portable sources. Systems under the company’s current contract are presently being installed on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and will be installed on new Constellation-class frigates.

“We have designed and produced a faster next-generation system to meet the demands of our customers’ evolving connectivity mission requirements,” said Amber Dolan, director of Adaptive Communications and Sensing at BAE Systems. “BAE Systems is committed to providing the U.S. Navy with a trusted and secure solution to transmit and receive the critical information needed to successfully accomplish its missions across the fleet.”

NTCDL is a multi-platform solution for all U.S. Navy Common Data Link (CDL) requirements. It is a modular, scalable system designed to increase link capacity and embrace waveform evolution. NTCDL supports multiple, simultaneous, networked operations using currently fielded CDL equipment, as well as next-generation manned and unmanned platforms. It enables operators to simultaneously transmit and receive real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from multiple sources and exchange command and control information across separate or independent networks. This allows for effective communication among forces to maintain an advantage.

This award modifies an existing BAE Systems contract to extend the program’s total period of performance by three years. As the original developer and manufacturer of the NTCDL system, BAE Systems has the engineering and production capabilities to meet the program's urgent fielding timeline requirements.

Work on this contract is performed at BAE Systems’ facilities in Maryland, Colorado, New Jersey, and New York.