A tactical data link (TDL) uses a data link standard in order to provide communication via radio waves or cable. NATO nations use a variety of TDL standards. All military C3 systems use standardized TDL to transmit, relay and receive tactical data.
Multi-TDL network (MTN) refers to the network of similar and dissimilar TDLs integrated through gateways, translators, and correlators to bring the common tactical picture and/or common operational picture together.
Change of terminology
The term tactical digital information link (TADIL) was made obsolete (per DISA guidance) and is now more commonly seen as tactical data link (TDL).
Tactical data link character
TDLs are characterized by their standard message and transmission formats. This is usually written as <Message Format>/<Transmission Format>.
TDL standards in NATO In NATO, tactical data link standards are being developed by the Data Link Working Group (DLWG) of the Information Systems Sub-Committee (ISSC) in line with the appropriate STANAG.
In NATO, there exist tactical data link standards as follows:
+ Link No STANAG Working Title Final title / description Communi- cation Gene-ration Comments 1 5501 NATO data link between Air Defence Main Control Centres Link 1 – Tactical Data Exchange for Air Defence Point-to-point 1st S–Series Ground Link between NADGE entities limited and not secure 2 Radar to Control Centre Data Link 1st Cancelled (includes in Link 1) 3 Control Centre to higher HQ Data Links SHOC Early Warning System Point-to-point 1st Slow Speed Warning Link from evaluation centres to SHAPE 4 5504 Ground to Air Data Link Link 4 – TDL for the Control of Military aircraft Point-to-point 1st C/R–Series Compatible to US TADIL–C to be operated in NATO UHF (225–400 MHz) RF band 5 Fast HF Automatic Link Broadcast 1st Cancelled (see Link 11) 6 5506 (Draft) Missile Base to Control Centre Link Link 6 – (NADGE Link) SAM Automatic Data Link Point-to-point 1st Draft STANAG (US MBDL, ATDL–1, PADIL) 7 5507 (Draft) ATC / Defence Link Link 7 – TDL for ATC Point-to-point 1st 8 HF Automatic Link Broadcast 1st Cancelled (see Link 1) 9 SOC / Airbase Link 1st 10 5510 Ship – Ship Link Link 10 – Maritime Tactical Data Exchange Broadcast 2nd M–Series STANAG cancelled (was used by BE, NL and UK) 11 5511 Fast HF Automatic Link Link 11 – Maritime Tactical Data Exchange Broadcast 2nd M–Series Compatible to US TADIL–A to be operated in the HF & NATO UHF RF bands 11B 5511 (Vol. II) Link 11B – Tactical Data Exchange Point-to-point 2nd M–Series Compatible to the US TADIL–B Ground to Ground TDL 12 Fast HF Automatic Link Cancelled (see Link 11) 13 HF Automatic Link Broadcast Cancelled (see Link 11) 14 5514 Slow Semi–Automatic Link Link 14 –Maritime TDL Broadcast 1st D/M/S/E–Series Ship–Ship & Ship–Shore (only few applications) 15 Slow Semi–Automatic Link Ship–Ship, Cancelled 16 5516 High Capacity, ECM Resistant, Multifunctional, TDMA Link Link 16 – ECM Resistant Tactical Data Exchange Broadcast 3rd J–Series Compatible to US TADIL–J (STANAG 4175 – Technical Characteristics of MIDS) 21 5521 (Draft) Link in support of ACCS – (LISA) Point-to-point 3rd J–Series Under development (planned to replace Link 1 and Link 11B) 22 5522 (Draft) NATO Improved Link 11 – (NILE) Link 22 3rd J–Series Under development (planned to replace Link 11) 5601 Standard for Interface of Data Links 1, 11, 11B, and 14 through a buffer see AdalP 12 5602 Standard Interface for Multiple Platform Link Evaluation (SIMPLE) Enables transmission of J-Series (TADIL-J) messages over IP-based protocols MIL-STD-6020 5616 Standard for data forwarding between tactical data systems employing Links 11/11B and tactical data systems employing Link 16 MIL-STD-6020, DoD Interoperability Standard: Data Forwarding between TDLs IJMS ECM Resistant Communication System (ERCS) IJMS – Interim JTIDS/MIDS Message Specification Broadcast 2nd, M–Series Interim Data Link Standard to be replaced by Link 16 SADL Situational Awareness Data Link SADL – Situational Awareness Data Link Broadcast 1st, K-Series 2nd, K/J–Series Data link adopted from EPLRS to provide A-10s and F-16s data link capability air-to-ground and air-to-air
Beyond NATO countries, NATO partner countries have also developed some degree of interoperability with these standards since the 2014 Partnership Interoperability Initiative.
See also BACN Global Information Grid Inter/Intra Flight Data Link (IFDL) JREAP MANDRIL Multifunction Advanced Data Link Network emulation for simulation / emulation of tactical data links SIMPLE Tactical Common Data Link Link-17 – Tactical data link used by the Pakistan Air Force
References
External links Federation of American Scientists TDL information page This article was originally based on public domain text from Army Airspace Command and Control in a Combat Zone, Headquarters, Department of the Army, publication FM 3-52 (FM 100-103), August 2002