Mobile Hotspots
Abstract
Communications requirements have grown exponentially due to the proliferation of high-data rate sensors (full motion video), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and the emergence of the Soldier/Marine as both an operator and a sensor within military networks. However, limited spectrum availability results in a large disparity between capacity requirement and availability. Supporting the development of Advanced Networks technologies, Mobile Hotspots developed an airborne high capacity data distribution network to interconnect groups of tactical users in a manner conceptually similar to the commercial tiered approach of interconnecting cell towers and wireless hotspots. Mobile Hotspots exploited advances in millimeter-wave technology and airborne networking to develop a self-organizing, 1 Gb/s mobile tactical airborne network formed from highly-directional communications links to interconnect mounted and dismounted warfighters, dispersed tactical operations centers, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets. Low size, weight, and power (SWaP) designs were integrated with commercial and military communications equipment and mounted on tactical UAVs and ground vehicles to provide network access to mobile users via infrastructure-less hotspots compatible with existing radios. The Mobile Hotspots program will transition to the Army and Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2017
- Source ID
- 483e863676d79a4fe0097a8d6120f950