Network Technology

Troops operating in forward locations without telecommunication infrastructure often rely on a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) to communicate and share data. The communication devices troops use on foot or in vehicles double as nodes on the mobile network. A constraint with current MANETs is they can only scale to around 50 nodes before network services become ineffective. For the past 20 years, researchers have unsuccessfully used Internet-based concepts in attempts to significantly scale MANETs.

Squads of Soldiers or Marines on patrol in remote forward locations often don’t have the luxury of quickly sharing current intelligence information and imagery on their mobile devices, because they can’t access a central server. Troops frequently have to wait until they’re back at camp to download the latest updates. In the meantime, mission opportunities may erode because the information needed at the tactical edge isn’t immediately available.

Information, or ‘content’, on the World Wide Web is replicated and distributed across the world to ensure high availability to the end-user. User expectations for rapid access to content have led to the creation of content distribution systems that enhance the user experience. Consequently, users may quickly access content used for everyday living, from restaurant menus and maps, to local and world news.

Current military communication systems have limited ability to support mobile, distributed operations in remote geographic areas due to the small size of networks and relatively short range of military radios. Today, military mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are used to relay communications services beyond the range of a single radio.

The Transformative Apps program will develop a diverse array of militarily-relevant software applications ("apps") using an innovative new development and acquisition process. A military apps marketplace will be created to enable rapid innovation to meet user needs based on a direct collaboration between a vibrant and highly competitive development community and involved communities of end-users. The program will address all the challenges-technical, business and operational to make the new capabilities available for use in the field. The objectives are to transition the resulting systems to end-users in the Services and to foster a new model for rapidly and effectively acquiring, introducing, maintaining and enhancing software.