As the uptake of military 5G gathers pace, hopes are high that this technology will bring a new era of possibilities for military applications. While the military notoriously has more spectrum than most, communication channels are becoming increasingly populated. Many military applications will benefit from the enhanced capacity that 5G boasts, as well as providing wireless connectivity to some of the world’s hardest-to-reach environments.
ATDI has been working with national defence forces, government and security agencies for more than three decades and has developed capabilities in HTZ Warfare to manage the increasingly congested and complex aspects of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). In particular, the ability to plan sensor networks that rapidly self-configure when a node drops out.
Every network node can intelligently sense and discover other nearby nodes and dynamically determine the optimal path for forwarding data packets through the network to another node. Network disruption is reduced as it automatically heals itself due to the movement of nodes, changes to RF propagation and node destruction. HTZ can automatically deploy Range Extenders (relays) to maximize interconnections, providing real-time tactical analysis.
Other platforms that have witnessed significant development from the growth of emerging technologies are unmanned vehicles. Spanish defense-integrator, INDRA, installed their new, unmanned combat vehicles with a battlespace spectrum management system. This featured HTZ Warfare to plan, model and simulate tactical communication links for UHF, VHF, HF, satellite and Wi-Fi. Using HTZ, battalions can plan hundreds of nodes over a large area. This supports vehicle positioning and monitors their direction in real-time, accelerating their decision-making abilities and the likelihood of mission success.
HTZ allows military network operators to plan, model and simulate radio communications networks. To support real-time information sharing, users can model scenarios using a set number of mobile nodes (with traffic and mobility profiles) across a defined territory, with C/N+I (carrier-to-noise ratio) and overlapping values. HTZ supports frequency planning and interference analysis of the links in the deployment of these nodes.
Undoubtedly, the biggest single threat to EMS is electronic warfare (EW); specifically, the risk of jamming and signal interception. Significant importance is placed on the performance of radio intercept receivers, direction finders and communications jamming equipment. Mission success often relies on the ability to share information with the command structure without undue interference. HTZ supports EW modelling, allowing military units to minimize interference, automatically assign frequencies and generate alternative communication plans. Key features include:
- Communication link analysis
- Ability to move site locations and assess site failures
- Complete interception and jamming assessments
- Analyze the operating terrain in 3D Deploy intercept receivers, direction finders and sensors
- Plan offensive communication jamming missions
- Undertake vulnerability checks
HTZ Warfare is a powerful, spectrum engineering tool for military radio network deployment, optimization and real-time battlespace analysis. It produces highly resilient, self-forming/self-healing networks to support dynamic warfighter operations. The product’s automation features enable transmission paths to be created over different environmental conditions for tactical networks. This allows the strategic re-routing of paths when nodes lose connectivity, reducing the likelihood of network downtime.
HTZ is technology agnostic and is used to plan civil and military 4G/5G networks with support across all spectrum bands and easily manages networks that require high levels of reliability and low latency. ATDI’s spectrum engineering solutions are flexible and allow for technology and process change.