Establishing resilient mobile ad hoc networks in a command and control denied or degraded environment via an aerial layer network

Abstract

The U.S. Navy competes for resources in an economically constrained environment. With heavy financial obligations, it must look for alternative approaches to communicate that can continue to enable its forces to carry out operations. This research investigates the viability of potential communication options used in a communications-degraded environment. Technological advancements in the area of wireless mesh networks and mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) have demonstrated a high level of success in facilitating communication. One similar technology, the aerial layer network (ALN), is gaining momentum throughout the U.S. armed forces as an alternative to satellite communications. In our virtual model simulations, we created a carrier strike group (CSG)-level MANET that received data packets from a ground site via an ALN without satellite connectivity, and communicated over a distance greater than 800 nautical miles. To determine network performance, generally accepted network reliability axioms were utilized. Our network simulation demonstrated a MANET and ALN are viable communication solutions for a CSG in a command and control denied or degraded environment. We evaluated mobile IP routing protocols Optimized Link State Routing and Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing and determined that AODV provided better packet delivery performance.