Distributed Battle Data Networks (DBDN)

ABSTRACT: Friendly aircraft face increasingly sophisticated, networked enemy threats, possibly resulting in detection and Mission failure. Success depends on EW sensor and communications systems detecting enemy radars and communications before they detect us. EW sensor systems themselves may suffer UAV losses, jamming, and other interference. Large traffic bursts from simultaneous detections may lead to congestion, lost detection reports, and detection delay. SSCI will apply innovative network techniques to provide routing that automatically generates multi-path routes when they are needed and useful, to keep track of more network state information so routes will minimize exposure to enemy interference, and Disruption Tolerant Networking techniques to avoid discards during short outages and increase detection information delivery. We also provide network organization techniques to optimize detection information delivery to fusion nodes that can combine them to detect enemy emitters and methods for fast detection of congestion or link loss to trigger re-routing. Our methods are distributed, adaptive, and efficient - providing redundancy when necessary to preserve performance. Our partner is BBN Technologies, the principle developer of the original ARPANET. Their expertise in routing and network development, combined with SSCI's background in mobile DTN networking, data fusion, and EW geolocation methods will ensure successful Phase II algorithm development and Phase III transition. BENEFIT: EW Battle Management systems work in hostile environments with enemy interference, node loss and intermittent communications. The routing and network organization methods here meet time, reliability, and robustness requirements by providing distributed, adaptive methods to designate alternate sensors and fusion nodes for task completion, to generate alternate routes to get detection information where it is needed, and to control bandwidth expenditures to maximize system potential in all environments. Alternate tasking and routing paths ensure detections when parts of the sensor or communications network is disabled by the enemy; adaptive methods that use resources only when necessary preserve system capacity to detect new enemy threats. The communications protocols developed here may be included in UAV systems, such as Global Hawk. EW sensor networks with the features developed in this project may ultimately support the Joint Strike Fighter program. Our methods are applicable to Homeland Defense sensor networks and commercial or personal applications where sensors are vulnerable to suppression or environmental degradation.