Performance and usage of biometrics in a testbed environment for tactical purposes

Abstract

Naval Postgraduate School's (NPS) Tactical Network Topology (TNT) experiments seek to develop, implement and identify sensor-unmanned vehicle network, and network-centric operations to assist DoD warfighters in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Using biometric data for rapid identification of High Value Targets (HVT) in ground and Maritiime Interdiction Operations (MIO) is critical to the emeging special operations concept. The goal is to explore solutions and operational constraints associated with biometric data analysis and rapid identification by means of adhoc self forming sensor unmanned vehicle (UV) wireless networks. The objectives of this thesis are to look at how biometrics has performed in a testbed environment that is simulating a real special operations environment in theatre. This thesis is meant to explore and explain the biometrics process that was conducted on top of the tactical network and evaluate its performance. This thesis provided the process model for biometrics identification in the tactical networks environment. This thesis also evaluated the length of time that it took to transmit the fingerprint data from the field to the ABIS databvase, with an identification result then sent back to the field. The longest time that was observed was 70 minutes (using low bandwidth Satellite communications), while the shortest time was 4 minutes for reachback to ABIS and 2 minutes for a local database.