AFRL awards 'MAJIIC' research contract

Published Nov. 21, 2006
By Francis L. Crumb
Air Force Research Lab Information Directorate

ROME, N.Y. -- The Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate awarded a $4,840,528 contract to Raytheon Systems Co. of State College, Pa., Nov. 16.

The 22-month agreement, "Distributed Common Ground Station Coalition Releasable Enclave," will provide technology that uses MAJIIC -- which stands for Multi-sensor Aerospace-ground Joint ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Interoperability Coalition -- advanced concept technology demonstration.

MAJIIC is a five-year advanced concept technology demonstration that began in April 2005. Its overall objective is promoting interoperability among each member nation's ISR sensor platforms and ground systems, focusing on the net-centric methodologies of sharing and utilizing ISR data. The participating nations of MAJIIC are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. The NATO Command, Control, and Consultation Agency provides technical support to the MAJIIC project.

According to John M. Vergis, program manager in the Information Directorate's Information and Intelligence Exploitation Division, this effort will address a broad range of ISR data types.

"The interoperability of these data types will be tested and validated for military utility during annual MAJIIC coalition exercises and demonstrations, both simulated and live-fly," said Mr. Vergis. "MAJIIC is the trailblazer for joint and coalition interoperability, providing the venue for testing and interaction with U.S. and coalition systems and military operators, all striving to achieve the common objective of maximizing all the capabilities a coalition operation can provide. This will ultimately provide risk reduction and coalition interoperability for the ongoing development of future Department of Defense Distributed Common Ground Station capabilities."