National Electronics, Communication and Photonics Center

National Data Links: Waveform

Design and its role in Modern

Electronic Warfare operations

Hatim M. Behairy, Ph.D. Associate Research Professor

Coordinator: Information and Communication Sector

Director: National Electronics, Communication and Photonics Center

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

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Contents

• Introduction

• Information superiority and Network

Enabled Capability (NEC).

• Importance of data links in NEC

operations

• Typical data link structure and Ideal SDR

• National Waveform design parameters

• Conclusion and questions

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• The battlefield has changed

dramatically from the past

• Today’s battles are

characterized by their

dynamics and ability to run

remotely.

• Utilization of efficient,

practical and modern

electronic and

communication systems is

therefore necessary.

Introduction

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Introduction

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Information superiority and Network Enabled

Capability (NEC) {Network Centric Warfare}

• Network Enabled Capability

Warfare Participants gain

situational awareness.

• Electronically see the battle

space.

• Enhanced EW

reprogramming via NEC

enables:

– dynamic distribution of

electronic order of battle

information to EW manned

and unmanned systems

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• Soldiers on the battlefield would have easy access to:

– wide-range of intelligence feeds

• EW systems on tactical platforms can be networked

to aid intelligence collection.

Information superiority and Network Enabled

Capability (NEC) {Network Centric Warfare}

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Importance of data links in NEC

operations

• Tactical Data Links (TDLs) involve transmissions of bit-oriented digital information

• Tactical Data Links and network integration are expected to play a key role in modern electronic warfare.

• They can provide real-time, jam-resistant secure

transfer of combat data, voice and relative navigation

information between widely dispersed battle elements

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• Evolution of data links

• Traditional analog data links (FM, AM,…)

• Digital Communication systems (PSK,FSK,…)

• Communication systems in a reconfigurable environment (FPGA, DSP,…)

• Ideal SDR

• Tactical Data Links Current Situation

– Current tactical communication capabilities have limited throughput

and scalability, insufficient AJ (anti-jam) and LPE (low probability of

exploitation) capability, and high latency and network join times.

– Link-16, the most widely used airborne tactical data link, provides C2,

SA, weapons coordination, electronic warfare, and other capabilities,

but does not meet emerging throughput, scalability, and latency

requirements, especially in high electronic attack environments

Importance of data links in NEC

operations

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Typical data link structure and Ideal SDR

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• SDR platforms can run more than one waveform at once

providing the radio platform has enough resources and

the waveforms do not interfere with one another.

• To do this you do need compatible radio architectures

and standardized application programming interfaces.

The USA has offered the Software Communications

Architecture (SCA) which is available through the SDR

Forum – a civilian industrial body.

• For waveforms to run across many forces then there is

potential for software versions of the waveform software

to be re-used.

Typical data link structure and Ideal SDR

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Advantages of SDR based data links

• Thanks to the waveform/platform paradigm provided by

SDR technology, the control of communications is no

longer tied to the platform implementation.

• SDR technology allows several waveforms to be loaded

into the same radio.

• The important aspect is that it is no longer needed for a

nation to develop its own communications equipment in

order to control its communications.

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National Waveform design parameters

• A waveform is defined as the collective analog / digital operations and

components that are used to describe how two end points communicate.

Examples of such components and operations include:

Operating frequency

Modulation technique

Encryption algorithm

Forward Error Correction (FEC) method

Hopping frequency and code

Etc.

• Customization of such components and operations that leads to an

indigenous implementation and use of the resultant waveform across

many agencies / forces in the country is what makes a waveform

“national”

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• Ideally the common waveform should be used

throughout all forces, but we must recognize that forces

also have their own communication systems providing

internal communications. This means that some platform

will need the national waveform, either realized on

different radios or on the same radio e.g. an SDR.

• The intent is that this narrow band waveform will be

common across the forces. It does not prevent them

using their own waveform for internal communications,

but interaction between the forces needs some form of

common interface

National Waveform design parameters

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Digital Voice sensitivity Voice Coder Frequency Range Bandwidth

Better than analog MELP-e 2.4 kbps 30- 512 MHZ 25 KHz

Frequency Hopping Rate Dwell Time Data Rate Data Applications

Above x hops / second Random Higher than 32 kbps IP data over Ethernet

Range Encryption Key ECCM

30 – 50 Kilometers 256 bits FH or DSSS

ARQ

Scanning of multiple networks

Location tracking using GPS

Email service

SMS

Mobile and landline phone integration

User groups

16

Waveform design parameters

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National Waveform design parameters

National Waveforms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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National Waveform design parameters

• Advantages of developing a national waveform:

- Developing an electronic counter countermeasures

(ECCM) (spread spectrum, or frequency hopping

techniques) by national hands

- The ECCM will be known only to the development party

and army. This will add a layer of secrecy to the Waveform

- Our enemies will not know what techniques we are using

and what the advantages and the disadvantage of our

waveform

- ECCM parameters and techniques can be changed by

changing the waveform if the situation calls for that.

- National Waveforms can be optimized for specific

applications and terrain.

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Conclusion and questions

The implementation of these network capabilities into the

battlefield environment is expected to enhance the decision

cycle between sensor-to-shooter; providing information-

superiority, shared environment that enhances combat

power by increasing speed of command, higher tempo of

operations, greater lethality, increased survivability, and

self synchronization