Which of the following best describes common causes of degraded Link 16 performance in the field?

• A. Interference and jamming
• B. Timing errors
• C. Misconfigurations
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Degraded Link 16 performance in the field typically arises from issues that affect signal integrity, timing synchronization, or system configuration. Interference and jamming disrupt the channel, lowering the signal-to-noise ratio and increasing frame errors. Timing errors throw off TDMA timing and slot synchronization between participants, leading to missed transmissions or collisions. Misconfigurations—such as incorrect network parameters, keys, or device roles—prevent proper participation or decoding, further degrading performance. Each of these factors can occur on its own and often together, so all of the above describe common causes of degraded Link 16 performance in the field.