Mission-Critical Mobility

Photo Credit: Courtesy of MC4

Mission-Critical Mobility: Deployable Cellular Network (DCN)

Typically, the U.S. Federal Government relies on commercial cellular service providers for phone communications. However, some situations have unique location, timing, availability, and security concerns that cannot be met by commercial providers, such as disaster recovery, reverse 911, and search and rescue operations. 

Deployable Cellular Network (DCN) products from LGS Innovations provide cellular networking functionality in a modular fashion, ranging from one unit to multiple units covering a large geographic area — without the need for any centralized cellular call processing. The Tactical Base Station Router (TacBSR™), the first generation DCN from LGS Innovations, is a true state-of-the-art cellular technology, developed by Bell Labs specifically for U.S. Federal Government deployment in military, disaster response, and search and rescue operations.

DCNs combine multiple network elements into a complete, multi-featured cellular system and also serve as a gateway between cellular and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based networks. They are extremely small, light, and power efficient, permitting them to be implemented on all types of platforms — man-portable as well as ground and air vehicles. Because they are fundamentally developed from GSM specifications, DCNs support standard cellular devices (handsets, data cards, sensors, etc.) in all four GSM frequency bands – with tri-band pico units available: a capability not supported anywhere else in the industry.  The result is the smallest, easiest to deploy and operate GSM cellular system available today.

The TacBSR was the first DCN released for general use by the U.S. Federal Government and was adopted by units ranging from the Army Reserve Command to the Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE). DoD-specific features were developed for these commands, including interoperability with all common SIP 2.0 call managers and DVX’s, as well as support for portions of the Assured Services SIP (AS-SIP) specification related to supporting Multi-Level Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) and Enhanced MLPP (eMLPP). In addition, by incorporating the SCIP-215 (V.150.1) for Secure Modem-Over-IP, the TacBSR supports true end-to-end Type-1 communications from the field to headquarters when paired with appropriate cellular handsets, smartphones and/or SCIP-215-compliant Secure Telephone Equipment (STEs). The TacBSR received interoperability and IA JITC certifications as an element in both the Army Reserve and JCSE implementations.  

LGS Innovations’ next generation of DCNs builds on the success of the TacBSR program and incorporates improved processing capabilities and state-of-the art radio components. These advances not only increase the software and firmware features that can be implemented on the system, but also significantly reduce the size, weight, and power consumption of the DCN line of products.  

Benefits include:

• Enables use of commercial cell phones in service-denied areas
• Form factors ranging from portable to rack mountable
• Extends VoIP and telecom capabilities to deployed users
• Auto-configurable to ensure ease of use
• Supports Type-1, AES, and GSM-encrypted communications
• Extremely easy to deploy and operate – once power is on, the system will provide service

Mission-Critical Mobility: Rapidly Deployable Network

The Rapidly Deployable Network (RDN) is a compact and self-contained 4G network-in-a-box that enables mobile U.S. Federal Government units to establish a trusted network for secure, real-time mission-critical voice, video, data, and sensor communications. It provides mobile, flexible and self-sufficient communication networks that can adapt to the needs of the situation or mission, whether it is within the confines of a hurricane ravaged region, military convoy, or in a combat zone.

A highly mobile force – for example, an advance party or patrol – can use the RDN to quickly establish communications and extend C4I into areas where communications do not exist or are unsuitable for military use. When the power, WAN, and antenna connections have been made, the unit self-configures with the push of a button and continually self-optimizes.

With auto-configuration and dynamic, real-time optimization features, the RDN can be fully operational in fewer than 10 minutes, and operates with minimal user intervention. The RDN can be deployed as a single-cell solution for local communications, or optionally as an ad hoc network with multiple nodes. The fully rugged system is approximately the size of a shoebox – which means it is man-portable – and weighs about 10 kg (22 lb.); it utilizes standards-based interfaces such as Ethernet or WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005), with a software upgrade path to LTE.

Multiple RDNs within range of each other can mesh together using IEEE 802.11, creating an ad hoc network.

In addition to its ruggedized construction (temperature, shock, and vibration), RDN support for the following makes it ideal for tactical military communications:

• Advanced Encryption Standard 128 (AES-128) and AES256 encryption
• Certification to Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 Level 2
• Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation (CC) Evaluation Assurance
• Level (EAL) 3+ compliant security

With power options of +12 V DC, +24 V DC, and -48 V DC, and power consumption of less than 90 W — 200 W with recommended radio frequency (RF) equipment — the RDN is well-suited for both semi-permanent and highly mobile environments that have solar backup.