Challenges Airborne Networking

1 challenges

1.1 current technology restrictions
1.2 commercial off-the-shelf
1.3 bandwidth

challenges
current technology restrictions

many challenges lie ahead before exist described in document. many of challenges lie in legacy system avionics found on aircraft. biggest obstacle lack in bandwidth. until more optics integrated aircraft systems, system lag in data transfer speeds , latency. 1 technology under research resolve problem navy’s research highly integrated photonics manage aircraft sensor suite communications. technique runs radio frequencies on fiber optics , being integrated ea-6b prowler electronic warfare jet.

security of network huge obstacle. goal give system low probability of jamming , interception. many ideas of how protect system being investigated , tested. traditional methods of authentication , authorization being used, include biometrics, cryptographic tokens, , integrated public key infrastructure.

commercial off-the-shelf

commercial off-the-shelf (cots) creates extreme engineering challenges. while offers flexibility in application , saves money in production incredibly difficult adapt various application. getting cots install in applications not designed continues vast engineering challenge military researchers work integrate civilian l-3 radio , fpga technology reconnaissance aircraft designed in 60s.

bandwidth

bandwidth support air force’s not exist. time can tell until enough bandwidth freed obsolete technology. creates challenge of creating better ways of compressing data , developing more efficient ways utilize bandwidth available. 1 interim solution developed northrop grumman dialup rate ip on existing radios (drier). drier enables airborne or ground-based tactical users select , download mission-critical data directly joint stars platform using existing, narrowband line-of-sight or beyond-line-of-sight uhf communications links. users can serve relay point, providing critical handover information between aircraft entering , exiting mission orbits.