The NILE program is funded and collaboratively conducted by seven nations under the
aegis of a memorandum of understanding (MOU). A steering committee controls the
complete NILE program. The program is managed by the Project Management Office
(PMO), located at the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) Program
Management Warfare (PMW) 150 in San Diego, California. The PMO consists of a
representative from each participating nation and a Project Manager from the US.
The Link 22 goals are
to replace Link 11, thereby removing the inherent limitations of Link 11;
to improve Allied interoperability;
to complement Link 16; and
to enhance the commanders' war fighting capability.
From 2007 to 2009 NILE nation Germany contracted German industry to enhance
performance and tactical capabilities for Link 22 HF fixed frequency (FF)
operation. Three goals were achieved:
increased robustness for the standardized data rates (defined by MSN 1-6)
gapless communication range extended up to 1000 NM
increased throughput by additional high-speed waveforms
In 2012, Germany submitted the new HF-FF (High Frequency-Fixed Frequency)
technology[4] to NATO and the NILE program, for ratification and adoption
respectively. In 2015 the NILE program approved the adoption of the new HF-FF
technology, with full support anticipated for 2016.
The Link 22 system is centered around its core component, the system network
controller (SNC). This software exists as a single implementation, produced by the
NILE PMO and owned by the NILE nations. To ensure compatibility across Link 22
implementations, all participants must use this SNC software. Each implementing
nation will acquire this software and will implement it in a hardware environment
suitable for its own application. Therefore, the SNC is not available as a
commercial product, and is supplied by NILE PMO to NILE agreed Third-Party Sales
nations with an annual maintenance fee.
An overview and introduction to Link 22 is provided by the "Link 22 Guidebook"
published by the NILE PMO in July 2009. This Guidebook has been written in a manner
that provides information for Link 22 operators, planners, managers, executives,
developers, and testers. Given below is an abstract of chapter 1 of the Link 22
Guidebook. The other chapters 2-3 of the Link 22 Guidebook are only available to
NILE and Third-Party Sales nations.
