Tactical Communications for the Digitized Battlefield

Traditional tactical communications systems consist of a number of separate subsystems with little interworking between them and with external sensors and weapons systems. Combat net radio (CNR) has provided the high-mobility communications required by combat troops, while trunk communications systems have provided high-capacity communications between headquarters at the expense of mobility. The focus of this book is on new, information-age technologies that promise to offer seamless integration of real-time data sharing, creating a single logical network architecture to facilitate the movement of data throughout the battlespace. Because the structure of this network is constrained by the fundamental trade-off between range, mobility and capacity that applies to all communications systems, this network is unlikely to be based on a single network technology. This book presents an architecture for this network, and shows how its subsystems can be integrated to form a single logical network. You are provided with an indispensable framework of guidelines and standards within which to consider the development, upgrade, and procurement of battlefield communications systems to migrate to this new target architecture. You are given a complete analysis of potential solutions such as commercial networks, satellite and cellular solutions, Iridium, as well as military solutions such as PTARMIGAN, MSE, AUTOKO, SOTRIN, BOWMAN, SINCGARS, EPLRS, JTIDS, and future systems NTDR and JTRS. Unique to this book is an outline of the steps to take to upgrade from current systems.