SBIR-STTR Award

Fuse will design and develop a networked Line-of-Site (LOS) communications capability to share high data rate Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data and tactical information between ships and Department of Defense (DoD) aircraft in local area of operations (AO) for distributed operations; to provide communications relay for targeting updates to network-enabled weapons; and move high data rate ISR data band and forth to ground entry points (GEPs) in support of ISR and long-range strike missions. Fuse will design a network that will leverage CORE for advanced network management and couple that technology with advanced work being done with radios and apertures to create high data rate multi-beam systems. This system will integrate traditional IP networking, Tactical Data Link (TDL) networking and Common Data Link (CDL) technologies to provide a robust, and reliable cross-banding solution for the demands of todays warfighter.

Benefit:
Increased threats to legacy communications systems has created a need for a communication capability that provided beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications without the use of satellites. While there are systems that can provide BLOS communications, these systems are either limited by bandwidth, and the amount of data that can be passed over the system, or they are limited by the number of participants that can share data on the network. The requirement exists to provide a system that can connect multiple participants, up to 12, and high data rates, up to 500 Mbps. Fuse will use its CORE system to provide advance IP network management, TDL network management, and MB-CDL to meet this emerging need. This capability has application beyond military communications. In the event of a catastrophic space event, there will be a need to fill the void that many commercial companies will experience due to the loss of space-based communications systems. Whether it is in the form of long-duration balloons, or commercial persistent present UAVs, a robust and reliable communications architecture like the one proposed in this SBIR has application to the commercial sector.

Keywords:
multi-beam common data link, multi-beam common data link,, Networking, high capacity backbone

Networking technology can enable significant reduction of timelines for every step in the kill chain for cooperative engagements. Effective employment of real-time data sharing between multiple platforms and sensors must be implemented and tested. The operational view illustrated below provides a simplified snapshot of the variety of platforms that can participate in advanced networked data exchange if bandwidth, security and integration constraints can be met. Software applications as simple as chat and as complex as real-time collaborative targeting all require network connectivity in complex environments. Networked CONOPS must align with advanced networking capabilities.

Benefit:
There exists a significant need for long range high capacity data link. Naval aviation requirements for the solution defined by this project reach across multiple aircraft and unmanned vehicles, as well as the emerging 5G commercial market. To ensure successful transition to the fleet, Fuse has worked with PMA 266, PMA 268, and the MUDLAN JCTD team to incorporate initial feedback to the Fuse approach and have identified interest in the DARWIN solution. Continued alignment with these and other program offices will be a central theme for this project to ensure a strong transition path. As Fuse progresses through the development roadmap for this DARWIN solution and migrates to a breadboard design with software-based encryption, the complex routing and networking capabilities will be able to extend to further applications not listed here.

Keywords:
MUDLAN, high throughput network, multi-link network, W-Band, multi-node network, High throughput