The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Jordan of up to 700 Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) software license copies and related equipment for an estimated cost of $300 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on 25 February. The proposed upgrade will allow the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) to fire Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System-Alternative Warhead (GMLRS-AW) rockets using a digital fire control system. The expansion will ensure uniformity among all indirect fire systems used by the JAF. AFATDS supports weapon systems such as mortars, field artillery cannons, rockets, close air support, attack helicopters, and Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) systems. The upgrade and expansion of the AFATDS fire control system will allow the JAF to defend its borders and ground forces with indirect fire weapon systems. The prime contractors for the AFATDS and supporting equipment include Raytheon Company and the Harris Company.
The Government of Jordan has requested to buy up to 700 Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) software license copies with a tailored, international ballistic kernel. Also included are up to 200 each laptop and tablet computers, ancillary computer mounting hardware, battery kits and chargers, printers, scanners, network routers and communication hardware, modems, 250 each diesel-fueled 5-kilowatt auxiliary power units (APUs), 100 each diesel-fueled electrical power generators, 50 each model 7800-HF 150-Watt high-frequency radios, 500 each model 7850-MB 50-Watt multiband (UHF&VHF) radios, 55 each model 7850-MB IO-Watt multiband (UHF&VHF) radios, all the required cables and components, required engineering and installation services, operations, integration, and maintenance services, contractor furnished support, communications support equipment, tools and test equipment, training, U.S. Government technical/logistical Support, contractor technical support, spares and support equipment, and other related elements of logistical and program support services.
The Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) is the Fire Support Command and Control (C2) system employed by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps units to provide automated support for planning, coordinating, controlling and executing fires and effects. AFATDS prioritizes targets received from various sensors and performs attack analysis using situational data combined with commander’s guidance. The result is timely, accurate and coordinated fire support options to engage targets using Army, Marine, Navy and Air Force weapon systems. The system provides complete flexibility to manage attacks on preplanned and time-sensitive targets. AFATDS supports weapon systems such as mortars, field artillery cannons, rockets, close air support, attack helicopters, and Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) systems. AFATDS also acts as a fire support “server” to LAN-based and Tactical Internet-based clients, including the AFATDS Effects Management Tool (EMT), and the USMC Command and Control Personal Computer (C2PC) EMT.
