| 2006 Technology
Symposium > Communications and Networks
Communications and Networks
Communications 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.
Advanced Tactical Networking
John Stine, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
The wireline networking paradigm has dominated R&D efforts to build wireless tactical networks, but it does not account for the spatial and spectral interdependence of RF communications and encourages the use of protocols that quickly consume channel capacity. These approaches remain inefficient in their use of spectrum, ineffective in delivering quality of service, and nearly incapable of exploiting the new physical layer technologies.
Objectives
This project aims at creating a comprehensive set of protocols for wireless networking based on the wireless paradigm. We will determine how to predict connectivity, create location awareness and synchronization in a contention-based ad hoc network, and integrate networks built using the wireless paradigm with networks built using wireline paradigms. We will examine ways to engineer network performance, manage spectrum and waveform use, and establish trust amongst nodes.
Activities
Our research will develop a comprehensive set of OPNET models to compare multiple different physical layers and protocol algorithms. We will create and evaluate algorithms for network synchronization, location awareness, propagation modeling, routing, information assurance, and spectrum management in ad hoc networks. We will also create a network operations management suite and link it with the OPNET simulation using an HLA interface.
Impact
Our work will solve hard problems of ad hoc networking, such as protection against the adverse effects of hidden terminals, exposed terminals, and congestion, and support for quality of service, multicasting, and energy conservation. It will enable exploitation of special wireless technologies including channelization, code division multiple access, space division multiple access, smart antennas, and multiple input multiple output. It will enable real-time network operations management.
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Atmospheric Mitigation Techniques for Free-Space Optical Communication
David Gervais, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
The atmosphere imposes many limitations on free-space optical communication (FSOC) links. By understanding and quantifying these limitations, we can develop mitigation strategies to overcome many of these limitations and extend the performance bounds for FSOC links.
Objectives
We will construct and deliver a modeling and simulation tool to characterize the atmospheric channel for FSOC. By capturing the results from these simulations, we will be able to construct a laboratory setup designed to replicate aspects of the simulations and to model and test several mitigation strategies within a representative laboratory environment.
Activities
A simulation tool will provide detailed models of clear-air turbulence and wave-optic propagation. Additional theoretical investigations of mitigation methodologies will be considered. The results collected and deduced from the investigations will be experimentally proven within a laboratory environment and will lead to the construction of an FSOC terminal. The terminal will optimize performance given user needs and the atmospheric channel response.
Impact
As more and more government programs and assets migrate to FSOC, atmospheric modeling, simulation, and mitigation techniques will become dominant themes for critical application areas ranging from increased communications bandwidth to covert sensor networks. Through our research, MITRE will play a key role in extending the currently accepted bounds of FSOC usability and practicality for our sponsors.
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Cognitive Spectrum Use
Bill Horne, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington
Problem
Communications, navigation, and surveillance systems depend on transmitting, receiving, or measuring energy transferred through the multidimensional space constituting the electromagnetic spectrum. Network-centric warfare, emergency response, and other emerging operational concepts require automated, dynamic, and adaptive decision making for spectrum use not satisfied by current spectrum management techniques. Consequently, improving spectrum access and developing cognitive radio is a valuable research area.
Objectives
The objective for this research is to develop spectrum-access architectures, algorithms, and radio device designs that utilize cognitive techniques to improve access to the electromagnetic spectrum. The scope of cognition includes: awareness of a system's context including policy, radiofrequency environment, and operational needs; the ability to make inferences based on the context and rules; and the ability to act.
Activities
Utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach to improve spectrum access, the project will: (1) define architectures for conveying contextual awareness including policy and operational constraints; (2) develop radio designs including autonomous inference tools; (3) develop a spectrum ontology and inference engine based on semantic web and related cognitive techniques for decision making; and (4) apply economic optimization and authorization transaction techniques.
Impact
This research will assist MITRE's sponsors to improve and automate spectrum utilization. This work can also maintain MITRE's continued leadership in spectrum and cognitive radio through publications, standards and technology organization participation, and improved staff skills. Finally, the research will provide knowledge that can be transferred to regulatory organizations, government agencies, and industry to develop new policy and design practices.
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Control Based Mobile Ad hoc Networks (CBMANET)
Emaan Osman, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington
Problem
Emerging MANETs suffer from three problems: the unsuitability of ISO-layered modularization; high protocol overhead; and the absence of adaptive cross-layer network resource allocation. Manual configurations are error prone and sub-optimal. Configuration complexity inherently limits flexibility. In sum, we do not know how to build a good tactical network stack and we have no working management plane.
Objectives
CBMANET will research, design, develop, and evaluate a revolutionary MANET prototype that improves effective performance from network stakeholder perspectives by an order of magnitude or more relative to the state of the art. CBMANET will provide a radical rethinking of the network stack to develop MANETs that are adaptively controlled and achieve an order of magnitude improvement in efficiency of bandwidth utilization.
Activities
MITRE supports Broad Agency Announcements, provides systems engineering, fulfills the role of Simulation Test Director, and assists with overall technical management and technology transition to support interim and Objective Force environments. Systems engineering activities include defining requirements, developing scenarios, managing and transitioning technology, modeling and simulation, identifying requirements for reuse, investigating new technologies, and leveraging other programs.
Impact
MITRE's FFRDC role has been crucial for presenting the program manager with an unbiased perspective on requirements and emerging technologies. The resulting network management capability will yield an improvement in network resilience and performance in support of the Department of Defense's network-centric concepts of operations. MITRE will facilitate the transition of developed technology to other government agencies and to industry.
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Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN)
Robert Durst, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington
Problem
Military tactical networks are subject to frequent disruption of end-to-end communications. Current Internet protocols on which the military relies for network centric warfare have evolved in such a way that they cannot function with these disruptions. This leads to unnecessary delay and unreliability in tactical communication networks.
Objectives
The project will demonstrate that key elements of the CONDOR (C2 On-the-Move, Digital Over-the-Horizon Relay) architecture can be implemented with the Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) architecture. It will also show that the DTN-enhanced CONDOR system can support suitable applications by providing consistent operation despite intermittent/changing connectivity and that DTN can provide a platform for heterogeneous system and application interoperability.
Activities
We will perform DTN network engineering and establish a candidate laydown, integrate DTN with existing tactical networking systems including the CONDOR gateway, and integrate DTN with existing connectivity measurement capabilities, extending those as required. We will deploy appropriate intra- and inter-region routing techniques and identify appropriate applications to demonstrate DTN-over-CONDOR benefits.
Impact
Immediate benefit accrues to the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with the ability to easily feed lessons learned into integrate results from the related DARPA program on DTN and integrate the results. The DARPA DTN program has a longer horizon, and is not service-specific. However, the USMC will be in a position to quickly utilize the results of the DARPA program. The project will drive significant extensions to Internet Research Task Force-sponsored DTN research, extend the breadth of existing research to meet DoD-specific needs, and extend the open source DTN implementation.
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Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN)
Robert Durst, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
Military tactical networks are subject to frequent disruption of end-to-end communications. Current Internet protocols on which the military relies for network centric warfare have evolved in such a way that they cannot function with these disruptions. This leads to unnecessary delay and unreliability in tactical communication networks.
Objectives
The project will demonstrate that key elements of the CONDOR (C2 on the Move, Digital Over-the-Horizon Relay) architecture can be implemented with the Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) architecture. It will also show that the DTN-enhanced CONDOR system can support suitable applications by providing consistent operation despite intermittent/changing connectivity and that DTN can provide a platform for heterogeneous system and application interoperability.
Activities
We will perform DTN network engineering and establish a candidate laydown, integrate DTN with existing tactical networking systems including the CONDOR gateway, and integrate DTN with existing connectivity measurement capabilities, extending those as required. We will deploy appropriate intra- and inter-region routing techniques and identify appropriate applications to demonstrate DTN-over-CONDOR benefits.
Impact
Immediate benefit accrues to the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with the ability to easily feed lessons learned into integrate results from the related DARPA program on DTN and integrate the results. The DARPA DTN program has a longer horizon, and is not service-specific. However, the USMC will be in a position to quickly utilize the results of the DARPA program. The project will drive significant extensions to Internet Research Task Force-sponsored DTN research, extend the breadth of existing research to meet DoD-specific needs, and extend the open source DTN implementation.
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Future Tactical Network Radio
Cliff Harris, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
Acquiring and deploying an affordable radio to enable high-capacity, robust, power-efficient tactical network communications for use by fixed and mobile personnel in challenging non-line-of-sight (NLOS) urban and terrestrial environments.
Objectives
This project will develop a partial waveform protocol stack suitable for hand-held or man-pack tactical radios that provides superior reliability, capacity, and spectral/power efficiency over existing DoD waveforms or those under development (Wideband Networking Waveform and Soldier Radio Waveform). We will accomplish this by integrating several MITRE innovations and tailoring those innovations to meet the specific challenges of the mobile tactical radio environment.
Activities
At the physical layer we will adapt multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) techniques to be suitable for ground mobile ad-hoc networks. At the link layer we will implement the standard 802.11b/g collision sense multiple access with collision avoidance media access control algorithm and an innovative new spatial arbitration technique. We will implement both layers in a hardware/software embodiment suitable for laboratory and/or limited field demonstration.
Impact
This research will yield a high-capacity, reliable, energy-efficient tactical radio architecture that can be incorporated into compact, cost-efficient products. The findings will raise DoD awareness of the potential benefits of new signal processing techniques and network protocols for tactical radio applications. The waveform and protocol stack may be made available to DoD contractors for integration into the JTRS.
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Hybrid Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Systems for Small Unit Operations
Jim Marshall, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
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Incremental Capacity Upgrade Solutions for Existing Fiber Optic Links
Hatem Abdelkader, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
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MITRE's Mobility Strategy: Technologies and Solutions
Doug Phair, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
Delivering business solutions to the point of business is not just our goal its' our Passion! To this end, a number of strategic planning activities, technology explorations, and long term visions have been produced in support of the mobile enterprise worker. Come see the future IT mobile services and technologies that support being able to work from anywhere, and at anytime. Experience future services for providing the "fully connected" experience to the user. We'll have the latest products that are available today, as well as those on the roadmap. See technologies under investigation such as Windows Mobile devices, GoodLink, ActiveSync, digital pens, multi-modal interfaces, and Edge-enabled services. And for those who want to catch up on business news and events while on-the-go, see our exploration targeted to understand the business uses of Podcasting in the enterprise environment to enhance dissemination of knowledge.
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Mobility Support for C2 Systems
Kevin Grace, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
Various mission scenarios (e.g., C2 Constellation, B2 and Global Strike Task Force, U2 reconnaissance) involve platforms that transit large geographical distances, thus requiring aircraft to join and leave multiple routing domains during an individual mission. Facilitating reliable information transport in the face of such mobility presents many challenges and requires new solutions.
Objectives
Our objective is to identify, evaluate, and recommend emerging mobility support protocols, such as the Network Mobility (NEMO) Basic Support Protocol and the Host Identity Protocol (HIP), and to provide guidance as to how and when they should be used.
Activities
Through analysis of protocol definitions and hands-on testing of protocols in an emulated wireless environment, we will determine how well emerging mobility support protocols perform. We will use these results to develop a roadmap for leveraging emerging mobility support protocols and will identify future research and development needs.
Impact
Our work is directly applicable to a number of important ESC programs, including the Multisensor C2 Aircraft, Joint Tactical Radio System-Airborne, Maritime, and Fixed-Site (JTRS-AMF), C2 Constellation, and the planned airborne network. Our results will feed into various requirement definition efforts and should help improve future net-centric capabilities for the Air Force.
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Multi-Carrier and Multi-Antenna Communications
Jerry Shapiro, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
Because of the often unique perspective of both in situ and standoff signals intelligence (SIGINT) sensors, exploitation is usually complicated by excessive multi-access interference, reduced channel rank, and overlay interference. Military communications applications of these technologies must be resistant to jamming while providing secure and high-capacity links.
Objectives
This project will design signal processing techniques that provide effective and efficient communications and surveillance in an interference-dominated environment. Our research focuses on promising new technologies such as multi-carrier modulation approaches and multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) processing, which offer substantial improvements in the complex multipath environment found in ground-level wireless.
Activities
In this research project, we will focus on three tasks. We will develop SIGINT techniques for multi-carrier communications. We will develop communications and surveillance technologies for MIMO systems using multi-carrier communications. Finally, we will apply this research to communications and intelligence operations in an urban warfare environment.
Impact
Multi-carrier and multi-antenna technologies will provide a critical component of future commercial and defense communications. By applying core technologies in decision feedback equalization, we will develop new techniques in both SIGINT and high-capacity and high-reliability communications. Our research will lead to MITRE publications, open literature publications, transition of ground-breaking research results, and possible patents and technology transfer.
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Near Term Tactical IP Enhancements
Chris Niessen, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
As the Department of Defense works to extend the Internet Protocol (IP) network to all users, it is important that tactical IP links be used effectively to carry as much of the most important data as possible. This requires the ability to classify and prioritize existing flows. The network itself is composed of heterogeneous links that need to be monitored.
Objectives
This project will investigate and prototype solutions for a set of near-term critical issues, including maximizing link bandwidth via optimization of the IP over Legacy (IPoL) radio driver, determining and applying quality of service (QoS) for traffic flows, and investigating link-independent monitoring mechanisms. Dynamic Link Management implementations will also be investigated to assess integration with QoS and IPoL solutions.
Activities
This project will investigate approaches to QoS, and will prototype a traffic analysis and marking engine. Additionally, the IPoL driver will be enhanced to adjust dynamic link parameters. Methods for monitoring and reporting the state of heterogeneous links will be investigated. The end result will be a set of tools that improve the performance of emerging tactical IP networks.
Impact
Enabling effective use of emerging IP links provides both short-term gains through increased connectivity and longer term gains by building understanding of the impacts of widespread IP deployment. Providing limited IP connectivity early in the transition process builds momentum toward and increases preparedness for future IP systems. Effective QoS techniques provide improved usability of present and future links.
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Quantum Information Science
Gerry Gilbert, Principal Investigator
Location(s): 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, such as breaking public key encryption systems, as well as a variety of challenging, computationally-intensive mathematical problems. The problem is to discover a scalable, efficient, fault-tolerant design.
Objectives
We plan to develop the world's first efficient, scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computer design.
Activities
We will perform theoretical and systems-engineering quantum computing analyses and develop quantum information processing components using the linear quantum optics or cluster approach. We will design and demonstrate a quantum memory device, prototype a non-linear sign shift gate or cluster fusion operator, and demonstrate the quantum computing components.
Impact
This work will have significant impact on MITRE's sponsors, as well as the academic and industrial scientific and technology communities. It will provide the basis for technology that will enhance our abilities in code breaking, real-time analysis of frequency-hopped spread-spectrum communications, steganographic analysis, and other computationally intensive problems. This work maintains and enhances MITRE's leading position in an important area of science and technology.
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Scalable HAIPE Discovery
William Sax, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington and Bedford
Problem
Internet Protocol (IP) encryptors will be used to protect future strategic and tactical networks. IP encryption changes the requirements for the routing environment. Additional research is required to develop a routing architecture to support the vision of Net-Centricity. Tactical networks require scalable, easy to deploy routing architectures. Current discovery protocols for IP encryption will not scale to support the Global Information Grid.
Objectives
We will investigate the development of a routing architecture and scalable discovery protocols for High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) devices and develop a proof of concept. We will demonstrate essential modifications to the HAIPE and/or routing protocols that allow these devices to remain secure--and optimize routing in tactical networks.
Activities
The project will include protocol design for routing, multicast and discovery servers. A network impact study will include information assurance considerations. We will create proof-of-concept routing protocols and models, and evaluate potential operational and scalability issues. We will evaluate the impact of protocols using the prototype lab environment and make recommendations for the HAIPE Interoperability Specification.
Impact
This project will influence near-term encryption architectures and overall routing design with HAIPE devices. The capabilities that we demonstrate will have an impact on the future HAIPE-IS and will provide capabilities/services that will be part of future HAIPE architectures for the Army. This effort has applicability for networks across the DoD.
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Tactical Wideband Space-Time Communications
Robert Taylor, Principal Investigator
Location(s): Washington
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