EVALUATING A BURSTY-SIGNAL MESH NETWORK TO SUPPORT C2 CONSTRUCTS OF EXPEDITIONARY ADVANCED BASE OPERATIONS

Abstract

The United States Marine Corps continues to develop Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) as the future operating model in the Pacific. EABO will employ Marines using widely dispersed, low profile, highly potent, and tightly integrated Navy and Marine Corps teams. This operating model challenges the Marine Corps’ ability to command and control due to inherent resource limitations, long communication ranges, and the enemy’s ability to detect, intercept, and interfere in the electromagnetic spectrum. This study sought to evaluate bursty-signal mesh network (BSMN) technology as a potential solution to these problems. The technology’s suitability was evaluated through a comparison of the character of command and control in EABO (established through qualitative case study analysis of recent EABO exercises) against the characteristics of BSMN technology (established through quantitative modeling analysis). Finally, the viability of acquiring and fielding the technology was evaluated through a quantitative financial analysis. Though the researchers recommend further study, they conclude that BSMN technology’s long-range, stealth, and low-power capabilities are well suited for communication at-and-below the regimental level. Further, researchers conclude that the technology is viable to acquire and field, with a price point far below other long-range communication assets (i.e., satellite communication) currently in use.