North Atlantic Industries Awarded Contract for IDM-OSR to Advance Aviation Modernization and Fleet Readiness
North Atlantic Industries (NAI) announced it has been awarded a contract to execute an obsolescence-driven refresh of the Improved Data Modem for Open Systems REMAN (IDM-OSR). This refresh extends the service life of existing IDM-401 installations while aligning with the U.S. Army’s aviation modernization objectives for digital interoperability, cybersecurity, and mission data link performance across current and future aircraft fleets.
Since 2012, NAI has been the hardware supplier of the IDM 401, fielding more than 3,800 LRUs across platforms, including the AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk & CH-47 Chinook. Kevin Knight, Senior Program Manager, SAIC quoted in a direct statement “In Army Aviation service, the IDM-401 has demonstrated exceptional reliability with a long-term return rate of 0.02% and a warranty return rate of approximately 0.5%, underscoring its proven performance as a mission-critical digital data link for secure communications, situational awareness, and coordinated operations across U.S. and allied fleets.” “SAIC and NAI have partnered for more than two decades to deliver dependable, mission-ready solutions to Army Aviation,” Additionally, Kevin said “Building on the field-proven success of over 3,800 IDM-401 units—and exceptionally low return and warranty rates—our joint team is ensuring a successful transition to IDM-OSR that sustains readiness today and equips the fleet with next generation capabilities for tomorrow’s missions.”
The IDM-OSR obsolescence refresh preserves full form, fit, and function compatibility with the IDM-401 while replacing end-of-life components and updating processing and security elements to current standards. The refresh provides increased data throughput, enhanced cybersecurity protections, and modular I/O expansion to meet today’s multi-domain mission demands—delivering a seamless, low-risk path to sustainment without requiring aircraft-level redesign or requalification of interfaces.
NAI’s longtime partner, SAIC, will collaborate on the IDM-OSR effort as part of a 20-year partnership with NAI. This joint team will ensure a smooth transition from IDM-401 to IDM-OSR and provide Army Aviation with next-generation capabilities while minimizing program risk, schedule impact, and lifecycle cost.
“As the U.S. Army advances its aviation modernization and digital interoperability priorities, NAI is proud to sustain and enhance a proven capability through an obsolescence-driven refresh,” said Lino Massafra, VP of Sales and Marketing at North Atlantic Industries. “IDM-OSR retains the trusted reliability of the IDM-401 while incorporating targeted technology updates that reduce retrofit complexity and lifecycle cost across legacy and next-generation platforms.”
All IDM-OSR refresh activities—including redesign for obsolescence and manufacturing—will be performed at NAI’s headquarters in Bohemia, New York. Leveraging its vertically integrated engineering and production capabilities, NAI ensures consistent quality, performance, and compliance with demanding aerospace and defense standards while minimizing program risk and downtime.