Configuration Management of Software-Defined Radio Systems

Abstract

In the past, radios of any type were uniform across the entire United States Marine Corps (USMC) arsenal and were completely interchangeable. Now that they are software defined, each radio can be unique. The configuration management challenge presented by this diversity in the radio inventory motivates the following research questions:1.How can the USMC maintain the flexibility required to tailor equipment for unique missions without introducing interoperability issues?2.How can the USMC achieve configuration management of software-defined radios to ensure reliable battlefield communications?This thesis reveals an unintended consequence resulting from the development of software-defined radios and explores possible solution concepts. Three solution concepts were developed and analyzed to determine not only how well they answer these two key questions, but also how they might affect existing doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities, and policy (DOTMLPF-P) of the Marine Corps. Although no single solution concept was selected over the others, this thesis explores the trade space among all three and points out strengths and weaknesses of each, and then goes on to recommend more future work that could be performed to take the exploration to the next level.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1053199

Entities

People

  • Bradley J. Detwiler

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Basic Training
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Computer Networks
  • Configuration Management
  • Data Links
  • Digital Communications
  • Doctrine
  • Engineering
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Science
  • Network Protocols
  • Position (Location)
  • Radio Communications
  • Radio Equipment
  • Software Defined Radio
  • Software-Defined Radio Waveforms
  • Software-Defined Radios
  • Systems Engineering
  • Tactical Radios
  • Test Facilities
  • Training
  • United States
  • Wireless Communications

Readers

  • Economics
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.
  • Radio communications and signal processing.

Technology Areas

  • Space