CYBERSECURITY AND GOVERNANCE OF UAS INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS IN THE ARCTIC
Loading...
Authors
Pinheiro Mazzuco, Douglas
Subjects
cryptography
secure communication channel
unmanned aerial system
UAS
Arctic
intelligence operations
IRS
command and control
communication protocols
TLS
IPSec
PSK
MLS
secure communication channel
unmanned aerial system
UAS
Arctic
intelligence operations
IRS
command and control
communication protocols
TLS
IPSec
PSK
MLS
Advisors
Hale, Britta
Date of Issue
2025-03
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Intelligence operations are essential in the military, supporting informed decision-making and national security. In this context, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have gained importance, particularly in missions conducted in extreme environments where human access is challenging. This study looks at communication link considerations in securely employing UAS capabilities to gather intelligence data in such environments. It takes a two-pronged approach: 1) combining secure communication link protocols and frequency selection in modeling secure communications under jamming and hijacking, and radio frequency attenuation. Additionally, this work provides 2) an analysis of legal frameworks for UAS use in the Arctic. Cybersecurity regulations among the countries comprising the Arctic Council were reviewed at both the policy and legal levels to identify gaps in the governance that guides UAS deployment. The results led to recommendations for enhancing UAS communication link security. Key findings include the necessity for legislation to evolve at the same pace as technology and the importance of collaborative efforts among different stakeholders. The theoretical model utilized in this study shows that among the protocols considered, MLS produces promising outcomes on average in scenarios with RF attenuation and the presence of hostile entities.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.