Linking Emergency Response Teams and the Military using VMF/ Tactical Data Links

Transcription

1 Linking Emergency Response Teams and the Military using VMF/ Tactical Data Links Chris Beattie Software Systems Engineer Aeronix/Symetrics International Data Link Symposium Washington DC, United States October 2007

2 Presentation Overview Brief overview of recent of US Military Radio Communication Developments Overview of the VMF/ TDL Radio Communication within Emergency Response Teams Solving the Data Communication Problem VMF/ TDL Equipment General Interoperability Challenges when implementing a VMF/ TDL October 2007 IDLS

3 Brief overview of recent of US Military Radio Communication Developments

4 Radio Communications US Military Platforms use a wide variety of radios for voice communications These radios use a wide variety of over-the-air waveforms, not all of which are compatible As computer technology has evolved, many of the US Military platforms have been modernized Modernization efforts usually include addition or upgrade of mission computers, and often updates to the voice radios Typically include upgrades to sensors as well October 2007 IDLS

5 Increasing Situational Awareness With the addition and/or upgrade of mission computers, the capabilities of platforms have been enhanced Enhanced sensors allow for increased information gathering by every unit in the field This information can be used by the entire force in order to increase the Situational Awareness (S/A) of the battlefield However, there was no way for units to exchange this information in an efficient manner October 2007 IDLS

6 Exchanging S/A Information Most units are equipped with voice radios Allows operators to exchange information verbally, which is error-prone and inefficient for large amounts of data Low-data-rate, high speed not needed for voice Specialized data-exchange systems are expensive, heavy, and large Cost, space, and weight issues prevent wide-scale modernization with specialized data equipment Need was to develop a method to exchange data between the mission computers using the existing voice radios in an efficient manner October 2007 IDLS

7 Exchanging Data using Voice Radios In order to allow mission computers to exchange information over voice radios, must be able to convert digital data to analog signals and back Mission computers store data and communicate with other computers using digital signals Voice radios communicate using analog signals Also need a protocol to govern access to the radio network to prevent multiple computers attempting to transmit at the same time Must use the low-data-rate radio efficiently Minimize the size of the data transmitted over-the-air October 2007 IDLS

8 Overview of the VMF/ Tactical Data Link (TDL)

9 What is the VMF/ TDL? Communication Protocol that allows computers to exchange data over low-data-rate bearers Typically employed in military units to allow mission computers to exchange data using voice radios Similar to how modems in home computers work October 2007 IDLS

10 VMF/ TDL Standards Variable Message Format (VMF) MIL-STD-6017 Governed by DISA VMF Sub Group Defines the Message Set Application Layer Protocol MIL-STD Governed by DISA Combat Net Radio (CNR) Working Group Defines the Operator-level interactions Lower Level Protocol Stack MIL-STD Governed by DISA CNR Working Group Defines the physical exchange of data October 2007 IDLS

11 MIL-STD-6017 VMF Messages 11 Functional Area Designators (FAD) for messages Network Control General Information Exchange Fire Support Operations Air Operations Intelligence Operations Land Combat Operations Maritime Operations Combat Service Support Special Operations Joint Task Force Operations Control Air Defense / Air Space Control October 2007 IDLS

12 MIL-STD Operator-Level Interactions Addressing of messages Individuals, Groups, Global Broadcast Forwarding of messages Requests for acknowledgment Receipt Compliance HAVCO, WILCO, CANTCO Security Classification Electronic signature capability Segmentation / Reassembly of large messages Usually used for transmitting imagery October 2007 IDLS

13 MIL-STD Low-Level Protocol Stack Support of IPv4/IPv6 for Net-Centric compliance Allows for routing, although not usually needed Relaying of data packets Ability to overcome line-of-sight limitations Media Access Random and Deterministic access schemes Forward Error Correction Recovery of data bits that are corrupted over-the-air Interface to radio October 2007 IDLS

14 VMF/ TDL Terminology These three components, combined with an over-the-air radio, form the Tactical Data Link VMF by itself is just a message set MIL-STD is just a header MIL-STD is just the communication protocol Radio is just a physical bearer VMF/ TDL is known by many names VMF, , JVMF JVMF is a legacy term, and is no longer used Based on the OSI 7-Layer Network Model Supports IP for Net-Centric communications October 2007 IDLS

15 Evolution of VMF/ TDL Joint effort between all four US Armed Services Started as a US Army effort Now supported by the USA, USAF, USMC, and USN All four services have platforms that utilize the TDL Standards are shared with US Allies United Kingdom and Australia are active participants in the VMF Sub Group and CNR Working Group Systems approaching fielding in the UK and Australia France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and South Korea all evaluating the TDL in demonstration programs October 2007 IDLS

16 Radio Communication within Emergency Response Teams

17 Coordination of Communication Lesson learned in cross-functional emergency response was teams could communicate within their own organizations, but not with others Police, Fire Fighters, National Guard, Coast Guard One of the most challenging problems in responding to September 11, 2001 Additionally, civilian emergency response teams could not communicate effectively with provided Military support Different radios, different frequencies, different over-the-air waveforms October 2007 IDLS

18 Coordination of Communication First step to correct this issue was coordination of radio communications across emergency response disciplines Good progress has been made in exchanging information to allow cross-service communication Communication hubs that allow forwarding of information Sharing of frequency and waveform information New radios that are interoperable Emergency response teams now able to better communicate using voice radios October 2007 IDLS

19 Linking Emergency Responders Now that cross-discipline emergency response teams can communicate, next step is improving the utilization of communication channels Instead of relying solely on verbal communication, exchange computer data within each organization, as well as across organizations Allow each organization to improve their Situational Awareness of the emergency First Responders could exchange data using a VMF/ TDL over their voice radios Utilizing the same solution as the Military October 2007 IDLS

20 Situational Awareness Each unit from each emergency response team could automatically report positional information Allow units to be tracked as well as better coordination of deployment and utilization of forces Facilitates cross-functional coordination Emergency response teams can also report on conditions in the field Is there need for additional help? What kind? Where? Has an area been searched or secured? Has a new danger / trouble zone been identified? Better, more accurate information results in less risk to the emergency response teams October 2007 IDLS

21 Solving the Data Communication Problem

22 Using the VMF/ TDL The communication protocol has been developed and is actively supported MIL-STD-6017A released July 2006 MIL-STD D released September 2006 MIL-STD D released September 2006 All three standards are improved with each release The standards are shared with all US Allies, and therefore perfect for a multi-national response Emergency response teams could use the existing Application and Protocol Stack as is Would need to add additional VMF Messages Probably as a new Emergency Response FAD October 2007 IDLS

23 Using the VMF/ TDL Demonstrations performed with non-military organizations US Immigration and Border Patrol US Coast Guard Allows coordination within the organization, and the ability to coordinate across organizations that also use the VMF/ TDL Allows coordination between civilian emergency response teams and the Military All four US Armed Services use the VMF/ TDL October 2007 IDLS

24 VMF/ TDL Equipment

25 Fielding the VMF/ TDL Two general solutions for fielding the VMF/ TDL in any platform, including civilian emergency responders Add a data modem between your computer asset and your existing voice radio Add a modem / radio combination that provides data interoperability with other platforms October 2007 IDLS

26 Symetrics IDM Family Improved Data Modem (IDM) IDM-501 MIL-STD-1553 or RS-422 interface to host computer Supports up to four radios simultaneously Optional high speed imagery transfer capability VP IDM VME interface to host computer Supports up to four radios simultaneously High speed imagery transfer capability included Mini IDM Ethernet or RS-422 interface to host computer Supports up to two radios simultaneously Also available in a PC-104 form factor Small, lowest cost, flight qualified solution on the market Optional high speed imagery transfer capability Mini Radio WDL IDM Ethernet or RS-422 interface to host computer Mini IDM with built-in UHF/VHF radio October 2007 IDLS

27 Symetrics IDM Family October 2007 IDLS

28 Interoperability Challenges when implementing a VMF/ TDL

29 Standard Revisions Many different versions of each of the standards VMF Standard has eight (8) versions TIDP, Reissues 2 6, 6017, 6017A Application Layer Protocol has four (4) versions 47001, Version B D Note, there was no Version A Lower Level Protocol Stack has five (5) versions , Version A D Newer versions are not always backwards compatible with previous versions Retroactive changes to released versions October 2007 IDLS

30 Options, Options, Everywhere Optional fields in the VMF messages Systems that receive messages which use unsupported fields may discard the entire message Optional fields in the Application Header Optional features in the Protocol Stack Messages sent by stations using an optional feature may be discarded by receivers that do not implement that feature Prior to the C version of the standard, there was no definition of what features were mandatory Therefore, no minimum implementation defined Separate briefing on VMF/ TDL interoperability issues available October 2007 IDLS

31 Questions? For more information contact: About the Author: Chris Beattie Combat Net Radio Working Group Member Aeronix, Inc. Phone: Mr. Chris Beattie has been an active member of the Combat Net Radio Working Group (CNR WG) since 2003, and was a contributing author to MIL-STD Version D and MIL-STD Version D, acting as Chairperson of the IPv6 Subgroup. Mr. Beattie also chaired the effort to re-write the Segmentation / Reassembly Protocol for MIL- STD D Change Notice 1. In his ten years experience as a Software Systems Engineer, he has worked on the Comanche Digital Map, the M3A3 Bradley FLIR tracking system, the Symetrics Improved Data Modem (IDM), and the MIL-STD Waveform Specification for Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Currently, Mr. Beattie is the Chief Software Engineer for the JSF MIL-STD Waveform Implementation, which is an SCA Compatible MIL-STD D implementation that will be deployed on the Joint Strike Fighter and ported to the Symetrics Mini IDM in Mr. Beattie has a Master s Degree in Computer Engineering (MSCE) from the University of Florida. October 2007 IDLS