The US Marine Corps (USMC) has released a Northrop Grumman-developed new advanced systems planning, engineering and evaluation device (SPEED) software for electromagnetic spectrum situational awareness and operations.
The enhanced software is expected to help communications planners to plan, model and analyse radio and jammer effects in a defined electromagnetic spectrum environment, to understand where communications degradation or interoperability issues may arise.
Northrop Grumman information systems defense systems division sector vice-president and general manager, Mike Twyman, said the software release marks significant advancements in both front-end user experience and back-end modeling and simulation.
"This software provides critical integrated functionality that can support both marine corps and army spectrum management and electronic warfare requirements," Twyman said.
The new software was approved by the US Marine Corps systems command, Quantico, Virginia, US, for release in July 2013.
"Northrop Grumman is proud of its development and advancement of this critical planning capability, particularly as the electromagnetic battlefield grows increasingly complex, and the use of the electromagnetic spectrum becomes increasingly essential to soldiers."
Developed for the marine corps, the version 11.1.1 provides 3D mapping and mission planning capabilities such as frequency-dependent rejection interference analysis, enhanced jammer modelling and effectiveness prediction.
Used by other services within the US Department of Defense (DoD), joint operations and other US federal agencies, the SPEED software has supported numerous joint task forces.
The software has also supported the Winter Olympics, the 2009 US presidential inauguration, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response following the Indonesian tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
