Bridging the Gap: How an Airborne Mobile Mesh Network Can Overcome Space Vulnerabilities in Tomorrow's Fight
Abstract
The US Air Forces heavy reliance on space capabilities makes it vulnerable to potentially crippling asymmetric multi-domain attacks in the near future. While Air Force leaders have identified the importance of maintaining dominance in the space domain, their goal of attaining resilient and survivable systems in the future is not immediately attainable. Peer competitors and potential adversaries already possess several operational and developmental capabilities, which place critical US space assets on the losing side of a cost-exchange battle. An option to mitigate many of these risks exists in an airborne mobile-mesh network hosted initially by the Air Force's high-altitude ISR platforms. Both the U-2S Dragon Lady and RQ-4B Global Hawk provide an excellent foundation upon which the Air Force can field and operationalize an airborne mobile-mesh network in the battlespace to augment critical space capabilities. Compared to the extreme cost of vulnerable satellites, such a network could be cost-efficient and provide improved resilient capabilities to the Joint Force without requiring drastic changes in operational tactics, techniques, and procedures. This research proposes that the US Air Force rapidly field a mobile-mesh network using existing technology and platforms, and then continue to build the network and processing capabilities over the next decade. The Air Force's vulnerabilities in space have the potential to impact combat operations in every domain across the globe. It is time to capitalize upon research and investments already made and make the first step toward a truly connected and networked force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1122418
Entities
People
- Travis Patterson
Organizations
- Air University Press