Wireless Technology for Submarine Communication Systems

The Navy is continually seeking to improve submarine crew members' operational productivity and efficiency, particularly since the Navy is interested in reducing crew sizes in the future. According to studies by the NAVSEA New Attack Submarine (NSSN)program, incorporating a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) to improve communications for damage control and watchstander log operations are two areas where significant efficiencies can be immediately gained. Functionally, this means implementing awireless connection interface to the Non-Tactical Data Processing Subsystem (NTDPS) onboard Virginia Class Submarines.The objective of this Phase II SBIR program is to develop wireless connection capabilities for Submarine C4I systems. Specifically, this SBIR will target the interface to the Non-Tactical Data Processing Subsystem (NTDPS). As part of this effort, Lunawill address specific requirements for interfacing to NTDPS on Virginia class submarines. This includes compatibility and security issues, power requirements, system bandwidth capabilities and the problems associated with RF transmissions (i.e. multipathand fading). Candidate wireless technologies such as 802.11a, g, and UWB will be identified. The primary goal is to create a secure, modular system that is flexible and upgradeable. The developments from this project will help to bring wireless networking to a new level of security. The modular design of these secure wireless network devices will allow marketing to the commercial and private sector with lower encryption power, butstill substantially better protection than is currently available. This is because the design takes into account that the Ethernet medium itself is open and easily monitored. The configurable plug-in security modules will operate independently of thenormal network security features thus making it difficult for unauthorized personnel to identify and understand the network traffic. The modular aspects of the security components will allow systems to be easily upgraded to the latest standards, whilerequiring no changes to the software configuration of the users on the network.The technologies and methods developed in this program can be applied to numerous military systems, potentially including naval platforms, shielded data centers, underground command bunkers, and large space-borne equipment such as space stations. Lunaalso anticipates large non-defense related markets in industrial instrumentation systems coupled with wireless transmission capability.For commercializing a submarine wireless LAN (SWLAN) business based on the program described in this proposal, we envision using Luna i-Monitoring, the most recent of Luna's five spinoff companies, to become the full scale engineering, development, andproduction source for the subject business.