Digital Voice Technology Development

The Navy's vision is to transition all interior and exterior line of sight radio communications from analog to digital technology. Automated Digital Network System (ADNS) is one of the primary initiatives that would require the Navy's tactical systems, including voice, video, and data to communicate via a common Internet Protocol (IP). Recent enhancements, technological improvements and expansion in air traffic control and information exchange have the set the tone for future Air Traffis Control (ATC) systems. All ATC systems will rely upon an open-system network to convey control instructions. During the transition from analog to digital, current analog means of communication must be retained until all airborne and surface assets have been upgraded to digital communications. An innovative means to simultaneously broadcaast control instructions in both analog and digital format using the current digital shipboard air traffic control communications (SATCC) switch must be developed. Through the use of Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, we believe a device may be integrated with analog voice transmissions that will allow Navy SATCC to seamlessly communicate with current and future airnorne platforms.BENEFITS: The successful integration of VoIP technology will not only facilitate safe, positive control of all airborne platforms in the Navy inventory, but should contribute to the mitigation of controller workload, and potentially reduce manning. Currently VoIP systems provide software based solutions. This results in a large amount of audio delays, generally in the order of 200 msec. The magnitude of this delay is unacceptable for tactical situations. By providing a hardware solution that audio latency can be reduced. Reduction in hardware cost coupled with the higher speeds that result from continued breakthroughs in nanotechnology will allow VoIP technology to be incorporated into personal communications terminals of the future.