7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 1/9
1
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
INTEGRATION OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION MODULES WITH MILITARY
VEHICLES
(SMARTPHONES & PDAs)
1. Military communications is no different than the rest of the world’s communications;
they want it smaller, lighter, covering more bands and carrying more voice and data than the
last generation of products. The bias of mil communication is towards network components
rather than network capability, a transport agnostic common operating environment leading to
develop standardized software applications including smartphone applications. Military
communications equipment are built to encrypt and decode transmissions and survive rough
treatment in hostile climates. They use many frequencies to send signals to other radios and to
satellites. The military is embracing the communications revolution, turning to a new
generation of sophisticated systems to enable faster, richer, less costly and more flexiblecommunications. Android security is taking top priority to enable deployed military forces to
use. Android devices on the battlefield for ad-hoc networking to exchange text messaging,
voice communications, and even intelligence imagery and video.
New regime of communication equipment
2. Today’s digital battlefield is a data- intensive place. The notion of network-centric
warfare means data from video, images, text, and voice communications ping-pongs across
every military theater at a dizzying pace, and there is no letup in sight for the volume of data
traffic during military operations. The unquenchable thirst for information of all kinds relativeto enemy positions and friendly forces, medical resources, fire support, nearby aircraft, the
status of resupply, and countless other crucial data points promises to grow in volume and
urgency to match the ever-quickening tempo of military operations. Pushed along by smart
phone competition, ground mobile radio technology is evolving rapidly. Smart phone and tablet
apps will give troops the ability to perform control, analysis and other sophisticated tasks
anytime, anywhere, while allowing commanders to instantly distribute essential documents
directly to troops. Future ground mobile radios will focus on two basic network approaches: the
Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) and the Wideband Networking Waveform. The combined
technologies allow secure networked communications among platoon, squad and team-levelsoldiers, as well as satellite connections back to combat commanders.
3. The Army is focusing its ground mobile communications efforts on its Mid-Tier
Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) program, which aims to create a new vehicle-mounted,
software-defined radio system Other likely bidders on the contract include General Dynamics
and Harris.
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 2/9
2
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
Driving factors for military hand-held devices
4. Military tablet has the same wants as desktop customers
a. Reliability
b. Faster processor
c. Lightweight
d. Long battery life
e. Low cost
5. Many pieces of military communications equipment are built to encrypt and decode
transmissions and survive rough treatment in hostile climates. They use many frequencies to
send signals to other radios and to satellites. So far the off shelf smart phones are not rugged
enough to withstand the battle of heat and face treacherous conditions. The military
technology think tanks are driving the focus of communication market towards integration of
such smart phones to communicate with the military level of communication. However, as
communication options multiply, so does the problem of getting disparate technologies to work
together efficiently and securely. Communications integration and security are now the top
challenges facing military.
6. Reliability for rugged tablets means: warfighters can read it in the direct sunlight of the
desert; can use it in the hottest heat of the desert; can use it in the cold weather of the Siachin;
can drop it and it won’t stop working; can mount it to any military vehicle and use it on themove; and can use it in the rain and in the dust.
7. Harris to Offer Android-Based Computer Tablet for Military
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 3/9
3
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
8. Harris Corp. (HRS), a maker of radios and communications equipment, plans to offer its
first computer tablet to the U.S. military and other customers. The U.S. military increasingly has
turned to smart phones and tablets as broadband communications on the battlefield have
become more critical, notably during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The company will
introduce next week a rugged, 2-pound tablet that uses Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android
operating system. The device is designed to connect to military radios to provide troops with
voice, video and data communications.
Tactical radios verses smart mobile devices
9. The trend is leading to a new generation of flexible tactical systems that are easier to
carry and simpler to operate and that allow troops to access, generate and use information in
entirely new ways.
10. Drawing inspiration from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices such as smart phones
and tablet PCs, military radio designers are adding innovative features and functions to an array
of communication and information delivery devices Although COTS devices are in the process of
becoming battlefield mainstays, still sees a bright future for tactical radios.. As technology
advances, tactical radios are becoming more like COTS devices, incorporating features such as
e-mail and chat modes. Meanwhile, many smart devices in the consumer market are acquiring
military-like levels of ruggedness and security. In the years ahead, Expectations are more COTS
devices to be deployed alongside tactical radios, even on the tactical edge when needs dictate
their use. Perhaps most importantly, budget concerns are helping to speed the arrival of COTS
devices in tactical situations.
11. Other factors for integration of smart phones are
a. Levels of security. Security refers to concealing message transmissions, through
scrambling, enciphering, spread-spectrum, or frequency hopping techniques to foil
an adversary’s attempts to eavesdrop on sensitive radio data communications
b. Non-standardization of communication network. The military has a lot on their
plate. Even with a huge focus on networks, the branches of military do not yet
have a standard for securing their networks. There are rugged, secure routers and
devices that communicate using wireless out there on the battlefield, but no
standard that protects them and allows them to communicate easily.
c. Secured communication network and flexibility. The use of data/processing
partitioning inherent in higher performance single-board computers or MILS
(multiple levels of security). This could allow for the use of open source Droid
App's and custom classified military applications operating within the same hand-
held device
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 4/9
4
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
Bringing Android to Military Communications Devices
12. With the advent of multicore and hypervisor-enabled mobiles, military mobile devices
such as Type-1 PDAs and Software-Defined Radio (SDR) can now keep pace with the latest
commercial mobile software initiatives such as Google Android while reducing costs and
meeting the most stringent security requirements.
The power of a Multiple Independent Levels of Security
13. MILS separation kernel lies in its ability to enable coexistence of security-critical
applications with general-purpose applications. The separation kernel can provide a strictly
controlled Interposes Communication (IPC) path between the Android HCI and other red-side
applications as needed.
Military 'Droid
14. The rich functionality of the latest multimedia software packages, such as Android, can
now be incorporated into even the most demanding real-time, secure military communications
devices without increasing hardware footprint, cost, or certification burden. The key innovation
is MILS virtualization, which exploits the resource management capabilities, native applications
environment, and assurance pedigree of a trusted separation kernel and modern hypervisor
techniques to effectively consolidate general-purpose and critical subsystems.
Unlocking the Software Defined Radios' Potential for Military Communications Using Android
15. The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) has created open standards that unlock the
potential of Software Defined Radios (SDRs). Without the ability of software and hardware from
different software publishers and vendors to interoperate, radio development has reinvented
the functionality of a previous radio. Similar to Internet open standards enabling scalable and
global connectivity
16. A frequently articulated question to the JTRS program is, "why are additional radio
standards necessary when 3G and 4G commercial standards enable such great products such as
the iPhone and Android?" There are several differences between commercial and military
communications as depicted in Figure 1.
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 5/9
5
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
17. Commercial standards such as Android or iOS are applicable for user interfaces, best
described as a presentation layer. These standards facilitate applications, assuming the wireless
carrier’s networking service provides the data transport. However, the presentation layer
standards only enable graphics and high-level capabilities such as chat and Web interfaces.
They do not enable the Sprint cell phone to operate in a different frequency band or to switch
from 3G to Satcom.
18. While JTRS radios are exploiting Android user interfaces for the Warfighter, they also
provide a rich set of waveform Application Program Interfaces (APIs). JTRS standards enable a
military radio to reprogram itself for Satcom, line-of-sight, and data trunking, all with very
different physical layers unsupported by any commercial products.
19. JTRS radios are designed to operate in regions of the world where different frequency
operating restrictions are an issue. In other words, what is permissible in the United States is
different from what is available in Europe or Asia. Commercial radios do not have the flexibility
to operate in completely different frequency bands.
20. Commercial handsets are not designed to interoperate with other wireless networks – a
cellular phone cannot communicate with P-25 public service radios. Depending upon the
mission, military radios must have the capability to intercommunicate with public service
workers and coalition forces. This requires flexibility and programmability not enabled by 3G
and 4G standards. The process explained in Figure 2 is typical of open standards
organizations.
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 6/9
6
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
21. It is obvious that military and government radios require additional security beyond the
services provided in commercial products. The strength and quality of the encryption algorithm
is only the tip of the security iceberg as the military radio must be cyber hardened against
sophisticated nation state threats and attacks.
22. Military radios are more constrained in frequency spectrum than their commercial
counterparts – the precious military UHF satellite communications frequency band (serving all
users) has less frequency space than the 3G commercial cellular channel. Mobile ad hoc
networks (MANETs) were originally matured by the military, although commercial industry is
showing some interest in the technology that does not require cell towers and other
infrastructure.
SCA and SCA next
23. The Software Communications Architecture (SCA) was first released in 1999, initiating a
bow wave of software defined radios. A breakout of typical radio functionality is illustrated in
Figure 3.
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 7/9
7
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
24. In this graphic, the radio hardware is separated between RF/Waveform processing and
general processing. Over-the-air signal transmissions generally require a combination of
Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and
Digital Signal Processors (DSPs). General processing can be performed by traditional computer
chips, although designers are conscious of the battery life for battery-powered devices.
25. In contrast, the Software Communications Architecture (SCA) and JTRS Standard APIs
have a rich API set for the RF/Waveform processing. It was designed to provide plug-and-play
infrastructure and the capability for dozens of waveforms to be deployed upon a single radioplatform. The SCA has standardized control and installation interfaces, permitting rapid
deployment of new waveforms or modifications necessary to mitigate an emerging threat or
scenario. Although the waveforms and applications in the SCA environment have the capability
of providing direct user interfaces, the APIs and services are less advanced than the Android for
presentation layer applications.
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 8/9
8
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
26. Today’s radios use either an Android/iOS type or SCA environment, focusing on the
flexibility valued by their users. A base station needs to support multiple waveforms and has
limited user interface requirements. Tactical radios similarly need to support multiple
waveforms and ease of waveform upgrades. The SCA is best suited for these applications.
Commercial handsets for mobile telephony are increasingly using an Android/iOS environment.
It seems obvious that a bridge between the two operating environments would simultaneously
provide rich presentation capability and waveform processing. That capability is already being
exploited by the SCA Compliant JTRS Rifleman Radio using tethered devices.
Application Program Interfaces (APIs)
27. The primary emphasis in API standardization has been the waveform-to-set interfaces
illustrated in Figure 5. Only interfaces between the waveform and the radio are standardized.
Internal interfaces and transport mechanisms of the radio are defined as necessary by the radio
provider. The intent is to provide portability or reuse of the waveform between radio platforms
and not necessarily reuse of the radio operating environment software.
Summary -- Enabling military and government communications
28. The open standards for software radios generated by JTRS unlock the potential of
software-defined radios. The SCA defines the installation and control of waveforms ported to a
radio, facilitating in-the-field software installations and emergency upgrades. The JTRS APIs
protect the government’s ownership of tactical radio waveforms and software by defining a
common way for waveforms to interact with the JTRS radio architectures and hardware. .
29. The JTRS open standards are complimentary to the commercial Android/iOS APIs, which
provide presentation layer features, but no waveform features. JTRS radios are exploiting the
rich application availability and user interface capabilities of the commercial products, while
retaining the necessary interoperability, security, and waveform capabilities necessary for
military-grade radios.
30. The JTRS standards lay the foundation for an open competitive market in JTRS radio
development. Government purpose rights on software within the JTRS Information Repository
will enable:-
a. Competition
b. Prevent vendor lock-in
c. Reduce barriers to entry for small and agile software developers
7/31/2019 Integration of Wireless Communication Modules With Military Vehicles
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/integration-of-wireless-communication-modules-with-military-vehicles 9/9
9
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
Conclusion
In the future battle field environment, tactical radios and mobile devices are likely to evolve in
ways that aren’t even fully predictable from today’s vantage point. A concept design unveiled
late last year showed a device that could be worn on a soldier’s chest, arm or wrist. Theproposed system included the ability to project battlefield maps and unit location data to its
user and to the data rich cloud. Whereas all network components are integrated through a
central Ad-hoc network server mounted on a vehicle which is further connected to Satellite up
linking and UAVs live stream acts as a link between individual devices.
With the advent of Android OS in tablets and commercial smart phone manufacturers turning
towards military specs integrated with common user applications are a real benefit in terms of
acquisition of integrated network components instead of complete new network with its sister
accessories. The concept of vehicle mount systems is limited to Ad-Hoc based server connecting
all devices rather in limited number rather than equipping every vehicle with that technology.
Android OS (Google) as compared to iOS (Apple) is much more military oriented as it’s an open
source where applications, data encryption and no vendor dependency. Thus the future of
communication system is more of imagination oriented dependent upon user.
(Few latest military specifications android based tablets are attached as Annexures A, B & C)