Airborne network backbone

This page contains information related to scenarios for an airborne network backbone supporting ground operations.

Primary Information

This is the primary information I was able to find. I suggest that everyone read through all of the links listed here

• Airborne Networking - good overview article of what the current plans are, including technical challenges
• FCS Network - overview of the network architecture for Future Combat Systems (FCS)
• Network-centric warfare - good overview article on the larger context of network-centric operations in the military
• Tactical Internet - this is the Army's description of the type of network they envision. Pretty high level.

Additional Information

Here is some additional information that I found while looking around. These links are likely to be mainly of interest as we look for additional details beyond what is available in the links above.

Network backbone structure

• Airborne Network-Centric Warfare Program (redOrbit, Apr 05)
• Implementation and Performance of a Network Control Plane for Airborne Networks (MILCOMM 2007)
• Northrop Grumman, Harris Demonstrate Airborne Networking (Northrop Grumman news release, Feb 08)
• Hanscom airborne network testing refines needs, shows results (ESC Integrator, Sep 06)
• Airborne network to link sensors, shooters, decision makers (AF Link, Mar 05)
• Airborne Networking, (Kenneth Stranc, USAF Airborne Network Special Interest Group Architecture Lead, Date unknown)
• Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) (GlobalSecurity.org, date unkown)

Ground operations

• FCS (BCT) white paper (FCS, Apr 08)
• Army Urban Operations Manual (US Army, 2003)

Technical References

Here are some technical papers that might be relevant for analyzing and designing these types of systems:

• A. ParandehGheibi, A. Eryilmaz, A. Ozdaglar and M. Medard, On Resource Allocation in Fading Multiple Access Channels – An Efficient Approximate Projection Approach. LIDS report 2787.
• N. Trichakis, A. Zymnis, and S. Boyd, Dynamic Network Utility Maximization with Delivery Contracts. Proceedings IFAC World Congress, July 2008.