Connecting the Force from Space: The IRIS Joint Capability Technology Demonstration

Abstract

The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command Future Warfare Center Battle Lab's quest to find quality technology for the soldier now focuses on innovative space communication capabilities that could close the digital divide. The Space and Missile Defense Battle Laboratory is assessing a commercial communications concept called IRIS for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. IRIS is an acronym for Internet Protocol Routing in Space. As the Operational Manager for the IRIS Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab is fast approaching the culminating demonstration that will provide an assessment of this new commercial capability for the Department of Defense. Joint Capability Technology Demonstration is an Office of the Secretary of Defense initiative to assess technologies for their usefulness to the warfighter. This initiative started almost three years ago when the Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command sought to quantify new concepts in connectivity and acquisition strategy. An industry consortium led by Cisco Systems and Intelsat General Offices proposed to General James Cartwright III, U.S. Marine Corps (the U.S. Strategic Command Commander at the time) to launch an internet router into geosynchronous orbit. The industry consortium explained that IRIS could provide cost effective connectivity to both commercial and military customers. The Office of the Secretary of Defense embraced the concept by authorizing a U.S. Strategic Command sponsored Joint Capability Technology Demonstration unlike any in the past. Rather than Department of Defense dictating requirements to industry, the consortium would design, develop and launch the capability at its own expense to meet their market forecast. Consequently, given a commercially viable capability, the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration would assess the potential of this capability for military utility.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA559469

Entities

People

  • David Hotop
  • Kirk Davis
  • Mike Florio
  • Rich Farrll
  • Stephen Groves

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Coast Guard
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Command And Control
  • Consortiums
  • Corporations
  • Demonstrations
  • Department Of Defense
  • Geosynchronous Orbits
  • Information Operations
  • Lessons Learned
  • Network Protocols
  • United States Strategic Command
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites