A Holistic Approach to Optimal and Secure Tactical Wireless Broadband Systems

ABSTRACT:In the Phase I effort, IFT proposed a Holistic networking Infrastructure for tactical Satellite Communication Networks (HISCoN). It supports optimal network resource management and cross-layer cooperation that allow satellite communication networks to intelligently accommodate the communication needs of various missions/tasks with diverse traffic characteristics and drastically different QoS requirements. Novel enabling technologies have been developed at the physical layer for RF situation awareness, efficient QoS-aware spectrum allocation, and anti-jamming communication, and at the network layer for QoS-aware routing and scheduling. The Phase I effort has provided convincing results of proof-of-concept designs that enable the development of a holistic integrated system for space-borne communication network technology transition.In Phase II, our goal is twofold: to refine and expand the HISCoN algorithms by addressing a broad scope of issues in practical implementations, and to integrate the proposed technologies and tools for extensive performance evaluation and visual demonstration in realistic mission scenarios. There are three major milestones: 1) implementation and testing of the main components (i.e., the proposed communication/networking algorithms, CR hardware testbed, the co-simulation platform and the 3D simulation/visualization engine); 2) integration of all the components into an operational demonstrator; and 3) simulations of realistic scenarios to obtain desired results.BENEFIT:The proposed RF cartography-enabled cognitive airborne system (RC-CAS) has tremendous potential in many military applications. The cognition infrastructure such as the RF cartography and its application to cognition-enabled tactical wireless networking is a research area critical for national security and battlefield information collection. RC-CAS can also be directly used for developing of advanced mission planning and emergency preparedness decision support systems such as extensions to Net-Enabled Command Capability (NECC), the Space Situational Awareness Fusion Intelligent Research Environment [SAFIRE], JSPOC Situational Awareness Response System (JSARS), JSTARS, and DCGS programs. The technologies developed under our mission-oriented cross-layer analyses and designs will enhance the capabilities of the Objective Force Warrior (OFW) and the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) programs with novel power control, scheduling, routing, mobility management and resource allocation algorithms for communication/networking functions. In addition to the USAF, prime contractors (e.g., Raytheon, Boeing) and DoD partners (e.g. Navy and Army) are also very interested in assisting in the technology transfer.IFTs research thrusts on RF environment map estimation algorithms will have direct implications to random field estimation tasks for wireless sensor networks in various monitoring applications, such as structural health monitoring for critical national infrastructure, habitat monitoring, homeland security, and remote sensing. Other potential commercial applications include police and first responders for NASA, US Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, multi-layered sensing, disaster assessment, air traffic control system, the national weather service, physical security systems, law enforcement agency, emergency control center, border and coast patrol, pollution monitoring, remote sensing and global awareness. Cisco and Hughes Network Systems are also interested in IFTs routing algorithms. We expect the aggregated market size will be similar to that of military applications.