multifactor authentication, including
facial recognition and iris scans coupled
with one-time passwords or tokens.
Additionally, NaN systems communicate via protected satellites using anti-jamming technology, with key encryption as the primary means to secure
satellite transmissions. Future satellites
resemble Advanced Extremely High
Frequency (AEHF) types that employ
a spread-spectrum approach called
adaptive nulling, in which signals hop
in pseudo-random fashion from frequency to frequency within an assigned
bandwidth.
Leaders across the operational force
will experience a steep learning curve
as they bid farewell to the equipment
they trained on and used for a decade
of combat operations. Missions in Iraq
and Afghanistan produced tactically
tested warfighters who now lead the
Army’s maneuver forces. These leaders are comfortable with combat-net
radios. Training entrenched in the
modernization road map must yield a
high level of comfort among brigade
and battalion leaders to prevent them
from dusting off their old single-channel FM radios and reverting to the old
way of operating.
Clearly, the Army has committed
a great amount of time and resources
toward updating its tactical communication architecture, but teaming with
the tacticians developing the 2025 force
structure is the service’s most valuable
initiative. The tactical network’s purpose
remains constant—a means through
which commanders exercise immediate
and personal control over their forces.
Capt. Kyle D. Barrett, USA, is the small-group leader instructor for the Signal
Captains Career Course at the U.S.
Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort
Gordon, Georgia. The views expressed
here are his alone and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the U.S. Army or the
U.S. government.
VIEWPOINT
component of NaN will be the ability
of data and voice transmissions to take
a different path if an existing route has
moved or is jammed. The network will
include solutions “to have our equipment adapt to different missions and
challenges that we’re going to face no
matter where we are,” Zbozny shared
with SIGNAL Magazine in August
2014, page 18. Part of that adaptability
likely will include a human-machine
interface similar to Apple’s Siri technology. With “digital tactical butlers”
inside mission command systems
helping commanders on the battlefield, the Army will deliver software-defined radios that communicate with
smartphone-type devices. The upgrade
will make mission objectives more
transparent to higher commands by
providing accurate position location
information, text messaging, photo
sharing and full-motion video feeds.
The PEO C3T and the Communications–Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (
CERDEC) have joined forces to develop
a single tactical computing environment to provide a seamless user experience, from handheld devices to vehicle
platforms and command posts. Force
2025 will operate in a tactical realm,
delivering standardized maps, messages
and icons that are intuitive to operate
and reduce the training load. Such a
standardized operating environment
facilitates the Army’s transition from
stand-alone mission command systems
to integrated warfighting system with
user-friendly apps.
STARNet and the Joint Battle Com-
mand–Platform—the Army’s next-gen-
eration friendly force-tracking system
that provides a faster satellite network,
data encryption and advanced logis-
tics—form a multitiered, joint com-
munications infrastructure. But none of
these advancements will matter if com-
munications cannot be protected from
enemies. “One thing we can be sure of
in our next fight is that our adversar-
ies will be more sophisticated in cyber
warfare,” Gen. Hughes declared. “It is
critical that the Army is just as vigilant
about protecting the tactical network as
it is for the enterprise.”
As cyber attacks increase in fre-
quency and sophistication, com-
munication security becomes more
important to national defense. Current
tactical communication devices require
strong passwords, but even the most
complex password is only a single-fac-
tor form of authentication. NaN sys-
tems employ simplified authentication
mechanisms that eliminate the need for
multiple passwords to access networks,
increasing cybersecurity using biomet-
ric identification methods. Future warf-
ighters can expect to provide advanced
contact: Capt. Kyle D. Barrett,
kyle.d.barrett4.mil@ mail.mil
With networked vehicles, U. S. soldiers expand operational reach well beyond FM line-of-sight (LOS) radio ranges and still maintain voice, chat and data communications.
Additionally, system upgrades let them receive a real-time common operating picture
of friendly and enemy forces in tactical operations centers ( TOCs) or when on the move.
They can conduct mission command from anywhere on the battlefield and retransmit FM
networks without range limitations using satellites to troops anywhere on the battlefield.
