QoS Assured Heterogeneous Airborne Network Technology (QAHANT)

Mayflower proposes an Integrated Services (IntServ) QoS technology, the QoS Assured Heterogeneous Airborne Network Technology (QAHANT), to meet the Air Force objectives, namely, to design and develop protocols for providing Integrated Services-model (IntServ) Quality of Service (QoS) in an airborne network composed of heterogeneous network technologies. The proposed QAHANT system uses an open architecture Common Radio Resource Management (CRRM) framework for heterogeneous airborne network operation. The QAHANT reservation function, implemented within this CRRM framework, enables IntServ with minimal signaling overhead. QAHANT protocols are designed to provide reliable reservation in a network whose nodes are widely varying in capability, capable of high dynamics and high-speed mobility. Provision for interoperability with existing QoS protocols such as RSVP enables end-to-end QoS for Global Information Grid, of which airborne network is one component. The proposed QAHANT technology leverages Mayflower’s expertise in airborne networking, and builds on technology developed under several SBIR programs and Internal R&D. The QAHANT system, when proven feasible in the Phase I study for the Air Force application, has enormous potential for military and commercial applications. Mayflower will develop a cost effective QAHANT prototype system in Phase I and II, and ensure its commercialization in Phase III and beyond.