WiMAX for Highly Deployable Mission-Critical Communications Networks

Mission-critical networks in support of NATO expeditionary operations demand highly deployable and reliable communication solutions. Emerging WiMAX wireless technology offers valuable benefits for such use cases like non-line of sight operations, extended coverage in point-to-multipoint configuration, adaptive modulation, scheduled media access, and embedded QoS support, to name a few. NC3A has developed a prototype implementation of next-generation deployable Communications and Information Systems modules, selecting RedMAX technology to implement a WiMAX communications wireless backbone. The paper describes the unique challenges of a deployable headquarter communications network, the prototype and test-bed concept, and the main characteristics of WiMAX physical layer and MAC layer. It then concentrates on the test and validation of the WiMAX performance NC3A has recently conducted, with a focus on scheduling and QoS features under the context of IP-converged networks carrying multiple types of traffic.