The next 10 years of DOD wireless networking research

This paper recommends a coherent research program that will meet the DOD´s highest priority needs in wireless networking over the next decade. The focus is on the network layer, with some investigation of areas where other layers (RF, link, transport) must evolve in order to facilitate networking improvements. The paper analyzes the wireless networking research needed to meet DOD user requirements in five areas: foundational capabilities, operations under spectrum scarcity, a fully network-enabled force, conflicts with asymmetric adversaries, and conflicts with peer adversaries. A common thread throughout the analysis is the critical importance of cost reduction in both acquisition and operations. Research that enables wider use of wireless communications under fixed or declining budgets is considered just as important as research that increases the underlying wireless communications capability.