Throughput and Delay Characteristics for a Slow-Frequency Hopped Aircraft-to-Aircraft Packet Radio Network
Abstract
Current lack of data transfer capability between tactical aircraft results in decreased mission effectiveness or the need to equip every aircraft with all the sensors and data processing equipment to perform each task expected of them. In the Air Force, these developments established the need for aircraft- to-aircraft data communications so that navigation, threat and targeting information could be shared within a flight and so that digital voice communications could also be maintained. Data rates within a flight of fighter aircraft to support these requirements will need to be between 100 and 250 kilobits/second (KBPS) and between 2.4 KBPS and 16 KBPS between the flight and a command and control aircraft. Other sources place the former figure as high as 512 KBPS. To increase the security of these radio channels, against both jamming and intrusion, anti-jam and low probability of interception (LPI) techniques must be used. One method of achieving these capabilities is to use spread spectrum techniques such as frequency hopping. The Air Force is currently concentrating its efforts around the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS). This system is, however, lacking in data rate capacity, LPI capability, and, while it is jam-resistant, it does not have anti-jam capabilities. This thesis seeks to develop a mathematical representation of a frequency hopping, aircraft-to-aircraft, packet radio network, in order to obtain baseline figures for the bandwidth required and delay for such a system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA220525
Entities
People
- Scott R. Harrison
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology