Beyond Raw IP: MUOS Architecture as a Platform for Future Services

The widespread migration of communication solutions away from circuit-switched architectures to "IP" represents a profound paradigm shift in the way that features and services are conceived, developed and deployed. The basic Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity unifies the method in which various components communicate with one another irrespective of their lower layer transport technologies or higher layer applications. Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), which is a global, satellite-based communication network replacing the legacy UHF Follow-On (UFO) system, features an all-IP architecture where properly layered protocols at given node implement a feature or service. The precise set and configuration of end-user features is dependent on the chosen implementation of the terminal, which allows tailoring of services to the application. The implementation of the underlying radio network leverages proven commercial products - specifically, the 3rd generation (3G) Wide Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) radio interface which has been customized to meet the specific system requirements, as well as the constraints of satellite radio links. Though global in reach, MUOS comprises only a handful of facilities and utilizes Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) services for backbone IP communication. Leveraging the latest commercial technologies allows MUOS to adapt existing products and services to speed up implementation of a design that not only meets the current set of requirements, but also provides a platform for the future. Commonality of design with the commercial world will result in the possibility to both provide new services and enhance the existing ones with emerging technologies.