Tactical Services Providers: Wireless and SATCOM Integration for Tactical Services

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is operating as the Lead Service in the FY07 Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD): Tactical Services Provider (TSP). TSP will evaluate the ability of mobile broadband technologies to provide global communication capabilities to support widely dispersed warfighters on mobile and fixed platforms. Utilizing a hybrid architecture of emerging, standards-based SATCOM and wireless technologies, TSP offers wideband communications that support two-way, high-bandwidth services for tactical users. The use of a standards-based SATCOM solution, Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite-Second Generation (DVB-S2) on the forward link and Digital Video Broadcasting-Return Channel Satellite (DVB-RCS) on the return link, provides TSP with the global presence and the increased bandwidth required to deliver broadband services and applications to tactical networks. IEEE 802.16-based technologies operating in the licensed and unlicensed bands will be leveraged to extend the delivery of these applications to the forward deployed warfighter extending situational awareness to the tactical edge. The evolution of 802.16-based devices using the IEEE 802.16e-2005 (Mobile WiMAX) standard provides users improved capabilities that are vital in the tactical networking environment. Leveraging DISA´s extensive knowledge and experience with pre-WiMAX equipment and two-way SATCOM solutions, this paper examines the operational performance enhancements that Mobile WiMAX provides the tactical user when integrated with DVB-S2/RCS services. This document introduces TSP´s hybrid SATCOM and wireless architecture, integration strategy, and evaluation parameters for the end-to-end transport system.