Communications and Networks -- Projects

Adaptive Array Processing for Ad Hoc Networks

Adaptive C⁴1 Node

Adaptive RF Links

Adaptive Spectrum Utilization with Software Defined Radios

Autonomous Network Management

Bluetooth^TM and Wireless Personal Area Network

Future Combat Systems (FCS) Communications Modeling and Simulation (M&S)

Gateway to the Global Grid

Medium Data Rate SATCOM On the Move for the Battalion-Level Warfighter

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks for the Transformed Army (MANTA)

Multicast Visualization and Management

Next Generation SATCOM Terminals

Optimizing Spectrum Use in the 960-1215 MHz Band

Quantum Information Processing: Secure Quantum Communications Systems

Small Unit Operations (SUO)

Communications and Networks covers developments in LAN and WAN network protocols, system planning, management, traffic analysis, wireless technologies and high bandwidth networks and the evolution of satellite communications to networks of low earth orbiting satellites.

Adaptive Array Processing for Ad Hoc Networks

Larry S. Thomson, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
The adaptive array processing techniques currently being considered for use in military ad hoc networks have serious shortcomings that include inadequate performance gains, excessive computational complexity, and/or insufficient adaptability to the rapidly changing conditions in military wireless ad hoc networks. New, computationally efficient adaptive array processing methods must be developed that provide performance gains without the shortcomings of other methods.

Objectives
The purpose of the project is to develop and apply advanced space-time adaptive signal processing methods to military mobile wireless ad hoc network architectures. The project will concentrate on transmit and receive space-time adaptive processing (STAP) methods that maximize the channel capacity and transmission range while minimizing co-channel interference and probabilities of detection and interception.

Activities
There are three major elements to this project. The first is a system-level analysis to provide reasonable expectations for performance improvements and system requirements. The second is the development of the algorithms themselves. Receive-only algorithms will be developed first, with transmit algorithms being considered later. Finally, the algorithms will be tested and demonstrated using live captured data.

Impacts
This project will advance the state of the art in STAP methods, and will build MITRE's reputation both in the R&D community and with key DOD sponsors. The techniques we develop will mitigate multipath and co-channel interference and offer anti-jamming capabilities that are essential to ensuring the capacity and reliability of future tactical communication networks (e.g., Future Combat System).

Adaptive C⁴I Node

Joseph D. Kolesar, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
The military needs to replace the hardware-intensive designs of legacy radios with newer software-based designs to accomplish waveform generation and processing, encryption, and other major communication system functions. The Adaptive C4I Node (ACN) hardware architecture is waveform independent, and its reprogrammability permits multiple radio signals to be simultaneously processed in one box.

Objectives
ACN will provide simultaneous in-theater multi-mission capabilities, including communications, signals intelligence, electronic warfare, offensive information warfare, and radar capabilities. The ACN hardware architecture is JTRS waveform as well as JASA compliant. The goal is to have a generic box containing four RF 60 MHz channels in each that are completely tunable from 30 MHz to 3 GHz in the first instantiation. Additional boxes extend the instantaneous frequency coverage.

Activities
The project will review and perform independent evaluation of approaches and technologies proposed by two industry teams and their subcontractors.

Impacts
ACN can be tailored to fill mission-specific C4I needs. ACN's flexibility also extends to the platform it can be hosted on with the common box implementation. The single-box approach simplifies the repair chain and in-theater logistics. Because ACN is a multi-missioned box, fewer assets/platforms need to be brought into theater.

Adaptive RF Links

Douglas Robbins, Principal Investigator

Bedford only

Problem
Realization of a robust, ubiquitous Global Grid will require future wireless links to automatically adapt to changes in channel propagation conditions and to the delivery needs of a widening variety of user traffic. Specifically, future links will need to manage channel throughput, bit-error rate, and latency to match the carried traffic's volume, urgency, and correctness objectives.

Objectives
Our objective is to demonstrate the benefits of wireless link adaptation through the development of a proof-of-concept prototype. The resultant prototype and demonstration will highlight how link adaptation can more efficiently use radio spectrum by adapting to changes in channel conditions and varying user needs.

Activities
This project is building on a per-packet adaptable framework developed in its first year. Specifically, we are implementing a "Link Manager" that autonomously drives adaptation based on user needs and channel conditions. To accomplish this, the Link Manager must be able to determine user needs, use channel feedback metrics, negotiate link changes over the air, and employ an adaptation policy.

Impacts
Adaptive RF Links takes the next step towards an efficient Global Grid. Our project work has an opportunity to impact several programs. We will highlight how the Advanced EHF/AWS program can use one terminal to meet competing robustness and capacity objectives. We also have an opportunity to show how TACP operations might benefit from increased capacity without sacrificing robustness.

Adaptive Spectrum Utilization with Software Defined Radios

Dan Schaefer, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
More efficient techniques for use and management of the radio frequency spectrum are needed to support the increased demand for wireless applications. Current spectrum assignment methods are highly risk averse and require extensive planning to adapt to new requirements. Wireless applications are limited in their ability to dynamically share spectrum as a result of policy and technology.

Objectives
This project investigates the design and performance tradeoffs associated with wireless systems that sense the RF spectrum and adapt transmit waveforms in real time to the available spectrum. The objective is to develop the adaptive spectrum system concepts and implementations to further their acceptance in the user and spectrum policy communities.

Activities
The project is developing design parameters for control, interference minimization, waveform adaptation, and RF spectrum sensing necessary to implement a software-based adaptive spectrum system. The basic functionality of this system will be demonstrated using digital signal processing platforms in a laboratory environment. Additionally, real spectrum usage data to support the demonstration equipment design process is being collected.

Impacts
The use of real-time adaptive spectrum occupancy waveforms has the potential to significantly increase user connectivity and data capacity for a defined frequency band as compared to current wireless applications. The use of adaptive frequency selection reduces the current spectrum management workload by replacing individual users' channel assignments with frequency band assignments in which the adaptive wireless system operates.

Autonomous Network Management

Ralph A. Preston, Principal Investigator

Bedford only

Problem
The size and complexity of networks have grown tremendously over the last decade. Unfortunately, the growth of networks has not been matched with efforts to reduce the complexity. Today's methods of configuring and maintaining networks are manual, slow, and antiquated. Without a change in the way we build networks, the military's need to rapidly deploy their networks will be unmet.

Objectives
The objective is to develop a collection of protocols and software tools enabling networks to be rapidly configured and maintained by untrained personnel. The military needs the ability to plug routers and hosts together and have the network configure itself. We will also provide a software tool to analyze the network and recommend changes resulting in a more efficient and robust network.

Activities
The project is divided into two phases. The first phase is to enable auto-configuration of networks. The second phase is to create a software program to gather the topology of the network and its traffic flow, then determine possible solutions to increase throughput, add redundant links and suggest other network improvements.

Impacts
We will enable networks to be deployed rapidly and without requiring network administrators. By providing routers capable of auto-configuration we remove the time and skills needed to configure the network. Our software program will help make the best use of available resources and provide advice on where to add new equipment.

Bluetooth^TM and Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN)

James Marshall, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
Intra-team communication is essential to the success of many missions. Communications at low echelons are typically supported by netted push-to-talk (PTT) radios. These radios do not provide the continuous communications needed to monitor health and status and situation awareness on a small scale. Determining the location of team members in buildings is an unsolved problem.

Objectives
This project will use Bluetooth devices as a stepping stone to ultra-wideband (UWB) and other technologies that show promise for intra-team communications. The objective is to assess these wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies and develop new approaches to enhance intra-team communications.

Activities
Activities will be focused on two areas. First, approaches will be developed for location determination among team members. This will involve determining the pair-wise distances between nodes and an algorithm for determining relative location. Absolute location will be provided by GPS-enabled nodes. Second, approaches to enhance communications reliability will be investigated.

Impacts
Improvements in intra-team communications will be beneficial to many types of teams including Army platoons and civil emergency first-responders. Good intra-team communications will allow near-continuous connectivity among team members so that health and status and situation awareness information can be frequently exchanged. Situation awareness information will include team member location as well as other data.

Future Combat Systems (FCS) Communications Modeling and Simulation (M&S)

Gary M. Comparetto, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
The intent of the DARPA Future Combat System Communications (FCS-C) program is to provide the enabling technology to develop the FCS communications system. In support of this, the FCS-C program will demonstrate the capabilities of the FCS communications components via modeling and simulation (M&S), with a special emphasis on network and communications technology scalability.

Objectives
Our objective is to define and demonstrate an M&S framework that will be used by the technology development contractors and independent analysts to investigate the performance of alternative routing and MAC layer routing schemes in mobile ad-hoc networks.

Activities
Our activities this year include: (1) formulation of the M&S plan, (2) development and implementation of a model and accompanying data to represent foliage- and terrain-induced attenuation, (3) integration of applicable M&S capabilities being developed for the Joint Tactical Radio System program, (4) generation of representative operational FCS scenarios, and (5) exercise of the M&S environment using contractor-provided FCS protocols.

Impacts
Our activities this year will help ensure that the communications and networking technologies being developed under the FCS-C program are meeting performance and scalability objectives. The M&S effort is the only way that scalability can be evaluated. The results of several field demonstrations will be used to help validate the results generated.

Gateway to the Global Grid

Jeffrey T. Correia, Co-Principal Investigator

Michael A. Brown, Co-Principal Investigator

Bedford only

Problem
The Global Grid concept presumes seamless communications between all allied users. Presently, the military has a plethora of legacy systems, each finely tuned for its specific mission but, all too often, not interoperable with other systems. Certainly, one of the first challenges - and perhaps the single greatest challenge - to achieving the Global Grid vision is providing a migration path for these specialized systems which will enable them to fully participate in a heterogeneous networked environment.

Objectives
This project will begin to develop the tools and technologies necessary to migrate legacy military communications systems to the future Global Grid. More specifically, these tools will be applied to the JTIDS radios to demonstrate a common transport over Link-16 and to demonstrate the utility of a common data format.

Activities
In this phase of the project we will investigate candidate common data formats. A common data format will then be defined and implemented in a prototype gateway between a civilian air traffic management system and Link-16. Our activities will culminate in a demonstration of the utility of this Global Grid compliant gateway.

Impacts
This project will demonstrate enhanced interoperability between a legacy communications system and the evolving Global Grid. Our research will help to define an evolutionary strategy for bringing the Global Grid to the doorstep of the fighter. A prototype gateway will also demonstrate how this enhanced interoperability can mitigate an operational air traffic safety issue.

Medium Data Rate SATCOM On the Move for the Battalion-Level Warfighter

Rich Wexler, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
The Global Grid concept presumes seamless communications between all allied users. Presently, the military has a plethora of legacy systems, each finely tuned for its specific mission but, all too often, not interoperable with other systems. Certainly, one of the first challenges - and perhaps the single greatest challenge - to achieving the Global Grid vision is providing a migration path for these specialized systems which will enable them to fully participate in a heterogeneous networked environment.

Objectives
This project will begin to develop the tools and technologies necessary to migrate legacy military communications systems to the future Global Grid. More specifically, these tools will be applied to the JTIDS radios to demonstrate a common transport over Link-16 and to demonstrate the utility of a common data format.

Activities
In this phase of the project we will investigate candidate common data formats. A common data format will then be defined and implemented in a prototype gateway between a civilian air traffic management system and Link-16. Our activities will culminate in a demonstration of the utility of this Global Grid compliant gateway.

Impacts
This project will demonstrate enhanced interoperability between a legacy communications system and the evolving Global Grid. Our research will help to define an evolutionary strategy for bringing the Global Grid to the doorstep of the fighter. A prototype gateway will also demonstrate how this enhanced interoperability can mitigate an operational air traffic safety issue.

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks for the Transformed Army (MANTA)

Robert Durst, Co-Principal Investigator

Kevin Grace, Co-Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
Army transformation simultaneously requires dramatically higher data rates, low probability of detection, and resistance to jamming for highly mobile networks. These requirements strongly suggest the use of highly directional communication mechanisms. Current mobile ad hoc networking techniques neither embrace directionality nor accommodate the qualities of service necessary to support the C4ISR collaborative applications needed.

Objectives
We will determine the following: What channel access mechanisms are most appropriate for ad hoc networks that combine directional and omnidirectional elements (aka directional ad hoc networks)? How should one initiate and maintain a network topology in directional ad hoc network environments? What routing algorithms are necessary to achieve standard (unicast), high-assurance, and multipoint data delivery services in directional ad hoc networks?

Activities
We have recently developed simulation models of the Mobile Mesh protocols and have made them available to the Army's Future Combat System-Communications (FCS-C) program. We are actively developing channel access mechanisms for modestly directional ad hoc networks. We are engaged in simulation efforts that are identifying values for key design parameters of our Synchronous Collision Resolution (SCR) media access protocol. These results are being utilized in our development of a proof-of-concept prototype directional radio system. We will soon be developing protocols to support the use of highly directional components. We will develop various policies for determining where to place highly directional links in the network and will show the effects of these policies through simulation.

Impacts
The results of this research are directly applicable to programs that rely upon mobile ad hoc networking technology. We have already impacted the FCS-C program by sharing our insights into modestly directional media access techniques and by providing simulation models.

Multicast Visualization and Management

Glen Nakamoto, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
Based on past military exercises, the need for a tool that provides multicast visualization and management of large networked environments has surfaced. Existing tools are inadequate for understanding the impact that multicast is having on our networks. This lack of understanding and potential pitfalls that multicast enabling can cause are a major reasons multicast has not been permitted on most networks.

Objectives
Using the capability developed in FY01 for multicast traffic visualization and analysis as a foundation, the project team will develop tools for proactively managing a multicast-enabled enterprise network under congestion. We will provide a network-based access control mechanism that allows some central authority to control who can subscribe to which multicast group for a given multicast source.

Activities
The task breakout is as follows: continue management information base (MIB) analysis, investigate standards on multicast admission and session announcement, refine FY01 tool developed for retrieving selected MIB information, develop multicast admission control application, develop multicast management application, simulate multicast environment for software test and evaluation, and conduct a series of tests simulating different multicast environments and document the behavior under varying conditions.

Impacts
Although not widely used, multicast traffic tends to be the most efficient manner to disseminate information. Without proactive management, however, it can create serious problems for a network (especially under crisis situations). As we demonstrate how multicast traffic can be managed, organizations will be able to seriously consider becoming multicast aware to allow more efficient utilization of their existing network resources.

Next Generation SATCOM Terminals

Michael G. Butler, Principal Investigator

Bedford only

Problem
SATCOM is an increasingly critical component in seamless connectivity of the Global Grid. Many recent military SATCOM programs have suffered technical setbacks and many commercial SATCOM ventures are proving unprofitable. Unless corrective action is taken, the military will be left without critical SATCOM capabilities and capacities. The problem is not a lack of DOD investment, but the want of a flexible architecture and extensible, reusable components.

Objectives
This project will develop, demonstrate, and transition key communications and networking technologies of direct and immediate relevance to network-centric military SATCOM. This project will focus and extend MITRE's prior research to the widening gap between needed and fielded SATCOM capability. Key design objectives for future terminals must include ease of use, cost effectiveness, ease of upgrade, spectral efficiency, and extensibility to new applications.

Activities
The project will work closely with the direct-funded MILSATCOM programs and will research solutions to long-term problems including: implementing differentiated services over SATCOM, extending transport-level protocols for heterogeneous networking, developing flexible, extensible, platform independent antenna APIs, developing a DHCP-like autonomous network management capability, developing algorithms to manage resource allocation in steered-beam satellites, and enabling the use of multicast IP in SATCOM networks.

Impacts
The eroding commercial SATCOM business base and recent foundering of several MILSATCOM programs present a window of opportunity to influence the future of military SATCOM. This project will enable MITRE to effectively and credibly exert that influence on future SATCOM designs. Additionally, much of this work will be directly applicable to other military communications systems and will facilitate the continuing development of the Global Grid.

Optimizing Spectrum Use in the 960-1215 MHz Band

Leone Monticone, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
The FAA and DOD currently have systems operating in the L-band and each has plans to operate future systems there as well. The third civil GPS frequency also resides within the L-band. The L-Band Steering Committee and the Interagency GPS Executive Board have been formed to make difficult decisions impacting spectrum use and system design; however, adequate tools do not exist for them to assess the impact of their decisions-decisions that could have potentially monumental consequences.

Objectives
The purpose of this project is to develop a tool suite for effective L-band spectrum management. The tool suite will be capable of modeling L-band RF environments, emitters, and receivers, and will enable the development of radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation strategies. The FY2001 effort considered the impact of the DOD's Joint Tactical Information Distribution System on the GPS L5, and the impact of Distance Measuring Equipment/Tactical Air Navigation Systems (DME/TACANs) on GPS L5. The FY2002 work will add a number of items to the tool suite so that other L-band systems, RFI environments, and RFI mitigation strategies can be considered.

Activities
Using Simulink, we will complete a high-fidelity model of the pre-Minimum Operational Performance Standards Universal Access Transceiver, and perform in-laboratory validation of the model. We will explore the use of the MatLab/Stateflow toolbox for creating a model of the LA Basin to simulate the RFI caused by multiple L-band systems upon a victim L-band system receiver. If possible, we will develop a model of a DME receiver.

Impacts
There will exist a tool/capability to impartially resolve with a high degree of fidelity FAA, DOD, and commercial issues regarding system design and spectrum use, and to validate any claims made by the users.

Quantum Information Science Research Project

Gerry Gilbert, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
Quantum information science is a new, interdisciplinary field that holds the promise of providing the means for solving practical problems that would otherwise be impossible. Quantum computers solve certain types of previously intractable computational problems, and quantum cryptography allows cryptographic keys to be distributed in real time in unconditional secrecy, a feat that cannot be performed in any other way.

Objectives
In quantum cryptography our overall objective is to design, build and demonstrate the fastest working quantum cryptography system possible. This will allow unconditionally secret encryption in real time. In quantum computing our objective is to develop new quantum computational algorithms. In each area these objectives include developing the necessary underlying comprehensive physical understanding of quantum information through careful analytical research.

Activities
Our activities in quantum computing include performing comprehensive mathematical analyses leading to the quantification of entanglement in systems composed of many quantum bits. This will allow the construction of new quantum computing algorithms. In quantum cryptography we are performing experiments involving high-speed multiplexed quantum channels, as well as carrying out underlying theoretical studies to determine the optimal system design.

Impacts
Quantum computers can break public key encryption systems, and quantum cryptography allows cryptographic keys to be distributed in real time in unconditional secrecy. Both activities are of extreme importance. As a consequence of the work of the project, MITRE has now assumed a position of leadership in this field, which it is using to help provide security for the nation.

Small Unit Operations Situation Awareness System (SUO SAS)

Dominic LaRocca, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
The military needs to develop a robust and reliable ad hoc network that ensures timely arrival of critical data to and from anywhere in the network. The radio network must provide radio connectivity to all network members in hostile and rugged environments and provide Quality of Service guarantees when requested.

Objectives
The radio network must provide high capacity radio links anywhere and anytime to ensure accurate position location information and provide seamless voice communications to all network members. The network must also be scalable to thousands of nodes and use radio resources efficiently to reduce size, weight, and power.

Activities
Activities include (1) providing technical expertise on issues relating to RF, networking, and systems integration to the SUO PM and Army Communications-Electronics Command affiliates; (2) developing and analyzing networking field tests of real hardware/software; (3) conducting protocol evaluations to determine network performance under severe co-location conditions; and (4) conducting evaluations of SUO Opnet models and determining radio performance under various conditions.

Impacts
MITRE supported transition efforts of SUO radios to other platforms and produced plans to interface SUO radios with the current Tactical Internet architecture. We also developed and implemented new processes for modeling and simulation of ad hoc networks to expedite the collection of performance statistics and ensure accurate results.