General Dynamics Canada - Integrated Voice and Data Distribution for the Tactical Battlespace

General Dynamics Canada provides tactical, integrated communications and networking solutions to suit the specific needs of each customer. The communications and networking solutions take advantage of existing commercial technologies in the headquarters and integrates them into the rugged, mobile ad-hoc communications equipment in the field. To provide maximum flexibility, General Dynamics Canada is focused on providing:

• Solutions that are easy to use, manage and maintain, with minimal planning burden;
• Modular solutions built on industry standards to allow the use of the best equipment and software to suit the individual customer's needs
• Multiple independent levels of security built into the hardware and software components of the network to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information

Integrated voice and data tactical communication network

The MESHnet® line of products provides a suite of independent processing components that can be operated as standalone equipment or integrated to provide the voice and data network infrastructure in tactical platforms. MESHnet® provides:

• An open IP-based integrated voice and data tactical communication network
• A distributed, network-centric, self-healing, fault/failure tolerant architecture
• Scalability from individual vehicles to joint task force system-of-systems
• Open interfaces to sensors and tactical, joint, strategic and commercial networks
• Interoperability with allied and coalition partners
• Military rugged equipment designed and tested for operation in tactical environments worldwide

Scalable voice and data information exchange services

MESHnet®'s robust, reliable, and scalable voice and data information exchange services are integrated into combat vehicles, combat support and service support vehicles, airborne command centres and naval operations rooms. MESHnet® is in-service with major world armies and is operationally deployed in many of today's "hot spots" around the world.

MESHnet® integrates internet protocol data and toll-quality digital voice together in a single high bandwidth, autonomous local area system that is integrated with the customer's HF and VHF combat net radios, data radios and wide area system to form a homogenous voice and data network with interfaces to external tactical and commercial networks. MESHnet's self discovery capabilities enable the network to be connected together with minimal operator set-up and configuration.

MESHnet®'s IP-based open architecture is designed to facilitate technology insertion for future enhancements, ensuring that MESHnet® can be adapted to meet the inevitable changes that occur in tactical communications.

MESHnet® equipment includes:

• Communications selector box (CSB) - simple to operate end-user intercom and radio interface selection
• Tactical mobile router (TMR) - tactical mobile routing for low bandwidth networks
• Tactical network-layer gateways (TNG) - backbone gateways for interfaces to external networks
• Power distribution unit (PDU) - military grade power distribution in a small form factor

Tactical Mobile Router (TMR)

TMR provides reliable data delivery where internet standards fail: at the low bandwidth and disrupted tactical edge network. TMR provides the soldier with a familiar (internet-like) user experience when interacting with the Tactical Internet by enhancing standard networking protocols for tactical mobile performance.

TMR reliably delivers information in a disrupted heterogeneous network environment via the most appropriate bearer links available at the time. DTN technology provides message delivery mechanisms using store and forward techniques that eliminate the need for continuous end-to-end connectivity.

To further the reliability of message delivery across CNR, SATCOM and wireless LAN links, TMR uses a comprehensive FEC-based protocol (CFP) and a low bandwidth routing protocol (LBRP).

The overall architecture and packaging leverages Size, Weight and Power and Cost (SWaP-C) considerations to deliver a solution that was designed specifically for rugged in-vehicle tactical networks. TMR design is modular where the components can be packaged in a variety of HW platforms to minimize SWaP and cost. The TMR is packaged in small rugged custom small form factor or standard 3U form factor.

TMR solves the following tactical mobility problems:

Problem: End to end connectivity: users cannot reliably exchange data under dynamically changing link conditions and node topologies.

Solutions:

• TMR provides data delivery mechanism using store and forward techniques that eliminate the need for continuous end-to-end connectivity.
• TMR auto-selection of UDP, TCP, CFP and DTN transport protocols are based on path quality. Handles ranges in excess of 60KM at 5Mbps peak user data rate

Problem: Low bandwidth mobile radio links (HF, VHF) affects the proper use of current tactical applications.

Solutions:

• TMR provides performance enhancement proxies for applications designed to use commercial protocols (e.g. http, XML, E-mail, SMS, Chat.)
• TMR CFP and LBRP assure scalability to 2,000 nodes in an ad hoc mobile radio network, comprising of 200 nets with up to ten nodes per net and 512 addressable devices

Problem: The current networking links and feedback will not allow for data prioritization of commander's intent.

Solutions:

• TMR provides policy based prioritization, automatic data rates and decision services using open standards Quality of Service.
• TMR links are characterized using QoS to provide network feedback and allow for prioritization based on commander's intent.

Problem: System management is complex and time consuming.

Solutions:

• TMR Network Management provides identification for each platform and configuration for each net. After that the self-discovery and self-healing capabilities of the network organize the network without needing management intervention.
• TMR employs ZeroConfig technology.

Problem: The current products are bulky, power hungry, hard to use and not suited for harsh environments.

Solutions:

• TMR consolidates 'must have' features into easy to use and maintain small form factors.
• MIL-STD-810F and MIL-STD-461E qualification for reliable operation in harsh environments; MIL-STD-1275B vehicle power.

Notes:

• TMR is ITAR free
• TMR implementation is based on open standards and interfaces
• Design, development and testing of the TMR were completed in Canada and the UK