Highly-deployable troposcatter systems in support of NATO expeditionary operations

NATO expeditionary operations call for the ability to mount forward-deployed headquarters (DHQs) in short notice. Such DHQs may spread across a large area and typically make use of satellite communications (SATCOMs) to establish in-theatre links. Line-of-sight (LOS) wireless systems may be deployed to provide low-delay, augmentation capacity to those in-theatre connections. However, LOS systems require radio LOS between end terminals, which may not be possible to achieve without intermediate repeater sites, in which case may not be compatible with military constraints. SATCOMs normally provide sufficient capacity but have intrinsic limitations such as high transmission delay and coverage limitations at high latitudes. Troposcatter wireless systems make use of a trans-horizon propagation mechanism that enables beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications between two DHQs. Traditionally, troposcatter links involved complex-to-operate technologies and large-footprint systems. With the advent of new technologies and new paradigms in military communications networks, highly-deployable troposcatter systems may be feasible and may provide military users with more deployment flexibility. This paper provides a feasibility analysis of highly-deployable troposcatter systems.