Communications Interoperability

‘down to the desk level !?’

AFCEA Europe16 June 2010

Mons (SHAPE) BelgiumGerard Elzinga

NATO HQ C3 Staff/CINNB

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Outline

NATO Environment

Communications environment

Communications Interoperability / Developments: Deployable tactical networks New Concepts Security Wireless networks Software Defined radio SATCOM

2

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Military Context Expeditionary operations - Out

of Area Multinational and multi-

agency Coalition of NATO and non-NATO

nations High multinational mix and fine

level of granularity Non-military organisations and

elements play a key part Broad spectrum of conflict

Humanitarian to Peace Making/’War’

Often at the same time in the same Theatre of Operations

Difficult to predict threat (‘Plan for worst case’)

Driving need for increased levels of agility, flexibility and mobility

Dispersed in Theatre 3

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NCW / NEC / NNEC

Tenets: Robustly networked forces Information sharing Shared understanding Improved effectiveness

Networking of sensors, command and control nodes and effectors

This requires a Networking and Information Infrastructure - Federated

Technology – People - Information

Sensors

Decisionmakers

Actors

Information Systems& Networks

Sensors

Decisionmakers

Actors

Information Systems& Networks

Information Systems& Networks

4

“The NATO Network Enabled Capability (NNEC) is the Alliance’s cognitive and technical ability to federate the various components of the operational environment from the strategic level (including NATO HQ) down to the tactical level, through a networking and information infrastructure”

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Federation of Networks

NATO

Nation

Nation C3 Static e.g. NGCS

C2 Fixed DeployedExtending Static Domain into Theatre, e.g. FOC+

C2 Deployablee.g. Tactical WAN

C2 Mobile (Sensors/ Effectors)e.g. CNR

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Communications InteroperabilityTactical Level NATO Assets

NCCAP Deployable CIS

National Assets Bulk of the Equipment Interoperability non assured

Different Operational requirements Various Implementations of same equipment

types Security Are all systems in theatres result of proper

planning or simply crisis acquisitions Role of NATO in Improving Interoperability

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Deployable CIS NATO CIS Contingency Assets Pool

(NCCAP): Set up in the Past to support land deployments (ACCAP), Part for maritime NATO HQs afloat (MCCAP)

Concept revisited, now transformed into Deployable CIS Modules (DCM) T/D SGTs, HF, RR LOS, COM and IS Modules

Equipment added, replaced, modernized and/or upgraded

Interim Solutions (LINC(E)) implemented However….Interim ??

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Communications Interoperability

Policy level Standards Concepts of Employment Interoperability Policies Architectures

Key multinational initiatives: TACOMS (Post 2000) Security Waveform development Software Defined Radio SATCOM

But also note: Large installed base of national systems, not

easily changed8

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Communications Interoperability

(Policy) Standards The beauty of our current sets of Standards is

that there are so many to choose from Identification of those standards that will be

key to achieving interoperability within NNEC (IP capable, modern technologies)

Life Cycle of Standards: Concept to Implementation

Standards themselves are not sufficient (too many options, context): Concepts of Employment

Concepts of Employment Defines context (Operational) Communications Profiles

Standards Implementation options 9

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Communications Interoperability

(Policy) Architectures Operational, System, Technical Views Provides guidance on how to implement

Capabilities Not prescriptive for nations, applicable for

NATO, nations can benefit from it Policies

Communications Profiles to de defined depending on Role

‘Enforcement at appropriate levels and by relevant directives’ MC Documentation – e.g. MC 195

Coordination Defence/Force Planning

10

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TACOMS

• TACOMS Vision: • “Robust, highly available federated network

based on interconnectivity via converged, high-speed IP interoperability points that support any application and multiple simultaneous classification levels”

• Wired, Tactical Level but nothing would limit wider implementation (e.g. in Strategic Systems)

• Based on Mature Commercial Technologies and Standards

• Phase 1 STANAGs Promulgated – Implemenmtations ongoing

• Phase 2 started: Evolution (IPv6, Mobility…)

11

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Security Secure Communications Interoperability

Protocol End-to-End Security over heterogeneous networks Strategic down to Tactical Level Based on a nationally developed set of specifications SATCOM, IP, TDM, Tactical radio Networks TACOMS

NII IP Network Encryption (NINE) Future standard for IP – encryption Based on Commercial IPSec specifications Using National Standard (HAIPE) as a basis for a Alliance

standard Strategic down to Tactical Domain

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Protected Core Network

PCS (WAN segment)

PCS (WAN segment)

PCS (WAN segment)

LAN (e.g. HQ)

LAN (e.g. HQ)

LAN (e.g. HQ)

LAN (e.g. HQ)

Z

Z

Z

Z

E

E

E

E

EE

E E

E

PCS= Protected Core Segment

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Wireless Communications

3-Apr-08

HF

UHFVHF

UHFSHF

EHF

↓VLF

UHF

UHFHF

14

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Waveforms

HF Well Defined set of Limited HF Waveforms Upgrade to IP Wide Band HF

BLOS (Non HF, Non SATCOM) Troposcatter revival ?? UAV, balloons ??

V/UHF Limited Interoperability (Capacity, Services)

SATCOM Standards defined: UHF, SHF, EHF SHF being Upgraded

Never Forget: Large Installed Base, need sound Business Case to support implementation new waveforms, radios and alignment of national plans !!

15

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BLOS MITFref

ELOS AITFref

LOS LITFref

LOS LITFref

ELOS LITFref

BLOS LITFref

SATCOM LITFref

LOS LITFref

ELOS LITFref

ELOS LITFref

16

Wid

e Ban

d W

avef

orm

(WBW

F)

Narro

w Ban

d W

avef

orm

(NBW

F)

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NBWF Requirements

1

Nation A Nation B

Interoperability Point

Nation A

Interoperability Point

Interoperability PointNation C

Nation D

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RBCI

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NBWF

Basic Requirements: Secure voice and data communications Radio Based Combat Identification (RBCI) Basic networking capability, sharing of situational awareness Spectrally efficient Initially a non-EPM version, then EPM

Basis of solution: Contributors: CAN, GBR, NLD, NOR, NC3A Physical layer based on CPM, fixed frequency, frequency

hopping Time based media access layer Basic routing protocols Overall waveform architecture

Draft STANAG for Physical Layer Work ongoing for MAC Layer

Security Principles under discussion18Physical Layer

Media Access Layer

Network Layer

On air encryption

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WBWF

Operational Requirements: Draft Available Discussions ongoing with other int’l initiatives

COALWNW 9 Nations , USA Lead

ESSOR 6 Nations, European Lead

Secure voice and data communications RBCI not part of requirements

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Mobile Network Evaluation

NCOIC Working Group Technology Tenets:

IP architecture tenets Information Assurance tenets Mobility tenets

Use Cases: Coalition Defence Mobile Emergency Communications Interoperability

(MECI) Evaluation of existing standards

20UNCLASSIFIED

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Software Defined Radio Strands of work within NATO:

NATO Industrial Advisory Group study Business Models for SDR Cooperation Aim to improve Interoperability Report: Waveform standardization, IPR, Security

etc. Research and Technology Organization (RTO)

Regular Task Group Demonstrate Portability SDR SCA Compliant

Waveform (ST 4285) & Interoperability SDR User’s Group Framework for sharing of

waveform software Working new model for SDR standardisation

(w/ EDA), architectectural bits: 3 baskets model: 1 part open , 1 part restricterd to coalition partners, 1 private for nations

Interaction EDA, OCCAR, ESSOR, Wireless Innovation Forum (SDRForum)

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SDR UG - Sharing Framework

Framework addresses: Waveform definition Waveform implementation Interoperability testing Waveform use

Each step in life cycle needs to address same issues but their impact differs: Software quality and

performance Compliance with open

software architecture Intellectual Property Rights Security

WF Definition WF Implementation WF Use

Interoperability Testing

requirements CONEMP

WF Spec

Fn Ref s/w

IoP ref s/w

radiosWF comps

WF comps

WF comps

WF Spec

iter

atio

n

WF prototype Base WF

s/w

Tgt WF s/w

Tgt WF s/w

Tgt WF s/w

IoP Ref s/w s/w

Base WF s/w

Tgt WF s/w

acce

ptan

ce

Base/ target s/w

test

Nat

’l s

y ac

cred

NA

TO

sy

accr

ed

radios

NationalUse

NATO Use

architecture

requirements

architecture

WF Spec

CO

NE

MP

Tes

t res

ults

feedbackfeedback

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SATCOM Standards developed in UHF, SHF, EHF

Frequency bands UHF – Making more Efficient use of Available

Spectrum (DAMA – IW) SHF – Updating existing Standards to be fully

NNEC Compliant, IP capable Comms On The Move: Multiple approaches to

use COTM – SHF EHF – Existing Set of Standards, likely to be

expanded

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Summary Operating in a complex environment

which is difficult to predict

Several initiatives underway to improve multinational communications capabilities especially interoperability down to the lower levels Wired Wireless Domain

However whilst technical challenges exist the greater challenges are political and organizational

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Questions