Networked Communications Capability

Abstract

Warfighters today rely more and more on communications networks to support and enable actions from targeting and shooting weapons to video-conferencing. Though military basic infrastructure capabilities follow the mainstream commercial internet, for many reasons (security, mobility, robustness), commercial telecommunications especially commercial wireless (tactical edge) communications are not well-matched with the requirements of today’s warfighter. These trends will continue as the military data load becomes more diverse and heavy. The National Research Council’s Network Science Report (2005) and Army Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) Jason Report (January 2006) state that the type of networking projected to meet military tactical requirements are not supported by network theory, network design nor analysis tools. These tactical edge technology challenges cut across all warfare domains (space, air, ground, sea). In response to recognized technical problems today, as well as anticipated problems in the future, this research will focus on two key problems in networked technologies: the need for expanded wireless reach where no communications infrastructure exists, and the need to create ways to manage diverse wireless communications load and heterogeneous network types. Airborne Network Gateway will expand the wireless communications and networking reach for the tactical force in the form of an airborne network gateway capability. Network Communications Analysis will establish the scientific foundations for military tactical mobile networking with a specific emphasis on the integrated network management of tactical networks. This research will provide the technical basis to standardize the implementation of military network communications capabilities in the areas of airborne network gateways and network communications analysis across the military services, joint staff, OSD, and defense agencies.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
• Source ID: 0603662D8Z_3_0400_PB_2011
• Service Agency Name: Office of Secretary Of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Autonomy
• C4I
• Cyber
• Electronic Warfare
• Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Cognitive Radio
• Communications Protocols
• Computer Networks
• Cross Domain
• Data Links
• Heterogeneous Networks
• Information Systems
• Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
• Network Science
• Radio Equipment
• Tactical Networks
• Test Beds
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Warfare
• Wireless Communications
• Wireless Networks

Fields of Study

• Computer science

Readers

• Computer Networking
• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Space