Challenges to Expanding the Grid
About 10 years ago, Vice Adm. Arthur Cebrowski and John Garstka introduced the concept of "Network Centric Warfare" and sparked a whole new approach toward command and control (C2) of military forces. In network-centric warfare, the fundamental premise is that military force effectiveness can be significantly improved by migrating away from platform-centric operations and by moving toward network-centric operations and leveraging information technologies. Since their publication, an extraordinary body of work has been created in form of scientific advisory boards, military and industry conferences, and numerous publications. To underscore the importance of this new concept to C2, the U.S. Department of Defense created the Office of Force Transformation.
Integrating Wideband Communications on a Platform
The need for long-range and high-data-rate communications resulted in the development of various wideband waveforms. Most implementations of new wideband communications waveforms — like mobile user objective systems and wideband networking waveforms — will be on existing platforms with legacy narrowband communications systems.
Deep Siren Tactical Paging
With the end of the Cold War, the mission of the submarine has changed, with greater emphasis on integrating the subsurface fleet into joint operations. Communications at Speed and Depth (CSD) is one of the U.S. Navy's top undersea priorities and the submarine forceís number-one communications priority. CSD provides the submarine fleet with the capability to communicate while operating at tactical speed and depth, providing integration into the Global Information Grid, or GIG, thus extending the FORCEnet below the ocean surface.
Waveform Portability
Software-defined radios (SDR) are playing an increasingly important role in both military and commercial communications. There are two key characteristics of an SDR: 1) Some or all of the baseband or RF signal processing is accomplished through the use of software, and 2) The signal processing can be modified post-manufacture. One of the primary advantages of an SDR is the capability to operate with more than one waveform. Instead of the legacy paradigm in which each waveform required its own radio, an SDR can implement multiple waveforms by reconfiguring with the appropriate software.
Information Assurance in a Virtual World
Virtual world technology and the capabilities it provides allow users (humans) to interact with a computer-simulated environment. The environment may be based on real-world scenarios, such as a corporation's human resources or training organizations, or imaginary, such as those typically found in action games. As part of Raytheon's overall research and development investment strategy, virtual reality and virtual worlds have surfaced as prime candidates for investment, because of their direct applicability to many of the training and weapon systems Raytheon delivers.
Mobile Ad-hoc Networking
Next-generation wireless, mobile, net-centric research provides tactical, secure, self-forming, ad-hoc networks Raytheon has developed a novel approach to mobile ad-hoc networking — one that is applicable to many environments. The basic technology has been developed through experience in science and technology efforts spanning the last 20 years. Raytheon participated in DARPA efforts on packet radio in the 1980s; global mobile networks in the early 1990s; Airborne Communications Node and Small Unit Operations Situation Awareness System in the late 1990s; the DARPA Future Combat System Communications in the 2000s and the AMRDEC NetFires Communications in the early 2000s.
Architecture, Modeling and Simulation for Communications Systems Design
In developing communications systems, we cannot always build a demonstration version to show how the system will operate. For a number of years, we have taken the alternate approach of understanding the architecture of the system, and then analyzing a model that simulates that architecture. To develop the architecture of a communications system, we use the Raytheon Enterprise Architecture Process, which standardizes architecture development, description, evolution and assessment throughout Raytheon.
First Responder Interoperable Communications
Instant, reliable communications have always been critical for providing a safe, timely response during any emergency. Comprehensive communications during a major crisis are even more important. The foundational communications technology for public safety and first responders since the 1930s has been two-way mobile radio, and is now generally referred to as land mobile radio (LMR), even though it is also used to provide communications with marine and airborne public safety personnel.
