L3Harris Delivers True Resiliency to Protect Communications Networks

Communication Systems

May 8, 2023 | 5 MINUTE Read

In modern combat operations, the monolith of an “Army of One” exists only in Hollywood movie scripts. In reality, the ever-increasing digitization of battlespace assets – and the expanded data-sharing across domains – requires joint-force tactics and information sharing.

These requirements not only relate to more-sophisticated interoperability strategies for the 21st century, they also highlight the need for resilient and reliable communications networks.

L3Harris Technologies has decades of experience designing and deploying solutions to meet the evolving communications needs of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations and has become the trusted provider of truly resilient solutions that enable Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

WHAT IS TRUE RESILIENCY?

“Adversarial threats have just as much say in how a battle plays out, so strategy can only take you so far – agility is key to success,’” said Robert Gnam, L3Harris Business Development lead. “Operators need communications devices with built-in backup options, if their preferred mode of comms is knocked out or disrupted.”

Resiliency in communications is the assurance that, from the moment an operator turns on their radio until the mission is over, devices and networks will transmit critical information at any and all times without interruption or interference.

Truly resilient communications requires purposely designed networks with low probability of detection and anti-jamming in mind. Additionally, frequency agility is required to use multiple signatures as well as protection leveraging the latest NSA standard cryptography and quantum resistance. These networks need to be scalable, self-forming and healing with the ability to adapt, route and use gateways to make critical connections when needed.

“Our networks have to be resilient,” Brig. Gen. Anthony W. Potts, U.S. Army program executive officer for Command, Control and Communications – Tactical, said during an AUSA Global Force presentation in March. “Resilience comes in multiple things. The waveforms themselves – how does the waveform react when it’s attacked? How capable is it to reform itself, of maintaining its integrity, of getting our data from one place to another? We have to have multiple transport layers that are available to us so that… it does a lot for us. We have to give [networks] capability in multiple paths. We’ve got to provide an auto-PACE so that, if I have multiple transport layers … that simply move from your primary to alternative to contingency and nobody should have to deal with” manually shifting communications transport.

All told, militaries need advanced hardware that can enable all of those elements with a software roadmap that stays ahead of adversaries, according to Gnam.

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Adversarial threats have just as much say in how a battle plays out, so strategy can only take you so far – agility is key to success. Operators need communications devices with built-in backup options, if their preferred mode of comms is knocked out or disrupted.

Robert Gnam

L3Harris Business Development Lead

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THE L3HARRIS ADVANTAGE

L3Harris designs, develops and invests in communications devices, networks and waveforms with resiliency top of mind to support its customers’ modern battlespace challenges. This includes offering industry-leading frequency flexibility with options across a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

“Resiliency also means having multiple ways of communicating; as a mission transitions from one domain to another, operators need a device that can quickly transition to the optimal frequency options in their given environment,” said Gnam. “In the aerial arena, for example, our over-the-air signals are custom designed to be highly difficult to see or jam, and we have multiple variants to choose from to counter specific or general threats.”

Many of L3Harris’ radios, including the Falcon® IV AN/PRC-163 Multi-channel Handheld, deliver multimode and multiband configurations to ensure continuous and cohesive communications for multi-domain operations as well as cross-spectrum data-sharing. L3Harris’ portfolio of waveforms simultaneously implements several techniques to ensure networks are resilient to multiple enemy jamming threats according to Ryan Carr, L3Harris senior manager of Product Management.

“In a high-end, high-intensity conflict, our devices, solutions, networks and waveforms provide the flexibility and capabilities necessary to prepare the U.S. military and its allies for anything and everything that can be thrown their way,” said Carr. “Our solutions provide pre-programmed channel settings for a variety of available communications options, so resilience and interoperability happens in real time with the simple turn of a radio knob.”

Learn More about the AN/PRC-163

Converged Technologies All in One Handheld System

Commanders and forward teams simultaneously share voice, video and data without having to carry multiple radios and battery types.

DAGR, MANET, ISR, and INE all in one narrowband handheld radio

LESSONS FROM UKRAINE

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has provided numerous lessons related to effective communications networking – and what communications resiliency is and is not.

“Events from the past year have validated and emphasized a vision for the new era of strategic competition,” said Gnam. “Electronic warfare is a deadly chess match. Robust, resilient communications enable troops to shoot, move and communicate in the 21st century.”

For instance, trying to “hide in plain sight,” masking tactical radio frequency signatures within an existing environment has proven ineffective, as the enemy can easily detect communications that either do not match signatures of the native network or operate outside the normal frequency band.

Additionally, emerging adversarial attack methods have exposed vulnerabilities in using only one technique to protect communication networks, such as trying to hide individual users among the mass of the network as a whole. L3Harris realized this concern well before the conflict and implemented several simultaneous and complementary methods to ensure resiliency. These include using multiple waveforms in different frequencies and employing different areas of the spectrum that have unique capabilities in every military’s PACE plan.

The L3Harris family of Falcon radios and extensive portfolio of resilient waveforms provide the secure communications necessary to support the U.S. military and allies’ JADC2 objectives. Adopting L3Harris’ security architecture and capability-enhancing mission modules further increase the radios’ benefits on the battlefield and speeds tactical data dissemination from the tactical edge to command.

“We provide a myriad of unique techniques and capabilities to ensure operators have everything they need – from pre-mission briefing to the end of their mission – all in one device,” said Carr. “With an AN/PRC-163, resilient communications is a preset away.”
- Ryan Carr, L3Harris Product Management Senior Manager

The next step for industry is enabling devices and networks to shift frequencies to avoid threats on their own, and we intend to be on the cutting edge of that development, added Gnam.

LEARN MORE

L3Harris develops resilient low-probability-of-detection and anti-jam networks built from the ground up with multiple advanced techniques to deliver global interoperability at NSA security standards with built-in PACE. The company is further making considerable investments in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science to help solve emerging customer challenges related to strategic competition, integrated deterrence, multi-domain operations and JADC2.

U.S. Army Special Forces soldier using PRC-163 radio

However, much of what makes L3Harris’ technology the most resilient on the market is classified by nature and requires conversations in the appropriate venue to explore the full extent of what the company can offer, according to Gnam.

“We encourage current and prospective customers to contact their local L3Harris representative about our truly resilient capabilities,” said Gnam. “We’re happy to accommodate meetings to explain how we assure continuous secure communications tailorable to meet multiple mission needs.”

CONTACT AN EXPERT