The U.S. Army’s Information Systems Engineering Command (USAISEC) is now a member of the Digital Intermediate Frequency Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium, the organization announced Monday.

The USAISEC provides engineering and associated support of information technology (IT) at Army posts, camps, and stations; interconnection between installations, and extension to deployed forces. The group joins the U.S. Navy, Space Force, NATO, and the USA’s Defense Information Agency as government members of the DIFI group.

DIFI created a standard that aims to enforce interoperability on digital IF/RF technology. The organization also works to raise awareness of how “vendor lock-in” could prevent the standard from the widespread adoption needed for interoperability.  The organization completed its first test of the standard in North America in October 2023. Its most recent test took place at the UK’s Satellite Applications Catapult’s campus in Harwell, UK.

“We have moved the ball significantly up the field to establish a standard that meets the broadest range of needs for the military and commercial sectors. We believe we are closing in on the ability to reduce overwhelming degrees of complexity and costs for implementation,” DIFI Chairman Stuart Daughtridge said in the announcement.

Daughtridge also serves as head of Advanced Technology at Kratos Defense and Security Solutions. He was nominated as Via Satellite‘s Executive of the Year for his work with DIFI.