A Tactical Communications System for Future Land Warfare

Success on the battlefield depends to a large extent on the timely receipt of accurate information presented in a format that can be digested readily by the commander and staff to allow them to prepare appropriate plans. The receipt of sensor data, information processing and communication of orders all require the provision of suitable tactical communications systems providing high-speed data networks and voice communications. Without communications on the modern battlefield the commander is deaf, dumb and blind.

The Australian Army is entering a period of sustained and substantial change in structure, doctrine and use of technology, particularly with the current and planned introduction of a wide range of new communications and information systems. In the face of such change, the Australian Army must reassess its communications requirements through the development of a comprehensive, robust, flexible architectural framework for its Tactical Communications System. Such an architecture is essential to provide support to commanders as well as to provide the network to support sensor-to-shooter links.

This paper develops an architectural framework to define the Tactical Communications System. It begins by outlining key design drivers that shape the architecture of a tactical communications system. These design drivers include the traditional principles of military communications as well as a number of important issues governing the way in which the Tactical Communications System is to be employed. The Tactical Communications System must be organic to the supported force and must support communications between any two points in the battlespace, and between any point in the battlespace and the Strategic Communications System. Communications support must be provided to a range of battlefield, joint and combined systems. Access must also be gained to a range of additional Overlaid Communications Systems to increase the capacity of the minimum organic network when circumstances allow.

Options for a mobile Tactical Communications System are then examined and it is concluded that, while it is essential that the Tactical Communications System provides a single logical network, it is not possible to provide a single physical network. The range of candidate technologies available to provide access to mobile users constrains the physical architecture to the provision of five major subsystems. The underlying infrastructure of the organic network is provided by the Tactical Trunk Subsystem and the Combat Radio Subsystem. To extend the range of these two subsystems in dispersed operations, a Tactical Airborne Subsystem is required. Additionally, there is not sufficient capacity in the Combat Radio Subsystem (in particular) to cope with the high volume of data transfer required to support real-time situational awareness for commanders of combat forces; this need is met by the Tactical Data Distribution Subsystem. A Local Subsystem is proposed to simplify the user interface to the other communications subsystems.