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What Makes A Network Resilient?

Mission effectiveness and troop survivability in the high-technology era requires system flexibility and agility to counter emerging adversarial capabilities through rapid technology insertions. 

However, there are foundational elements to integrated Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) networks that must be established as a baseline to ensure the protection of the networks as a whole and the safety of the troops themselves. 

While the U.S. defense industry currently does not have a unifying definition or standard to follow for “resiliency” to enable CJADC2, this article examines the underlying considerations defense organizations must investigate to appropriately defend communications networks against enemy attacks and interference.

 


 

1. Overmatching Sophisticated Electronic Warfare

Advanced Battle Management System

As the cyber domain weaves into all aspects of modern combat operations, Electronic Warfare (EW) is becoming a larger part of warfare. Without robust anti-jam waveforms, troops can’t communicate on the front lines – and progress comes to a halt.

These waveforms must be designed to penetrate through both enemy EW attempts but also congested radio-frequency areas in order to get information to those who need it, when they need it, regardless of where they are. In order to protect troops across the battlespace, and be truly resilient, communications must also diminish an adversary’s ability to know where communications users are and their intended progress.

2. Crypto Security: The First Line of Defense

Soldiers on battlefield with green data behind them

Ensuring communications, be they voice, data or full-motion video, have assured connectivity throughout the battlespace is a major element toward enabling CJADC2, but protecting the network – and the devices that make up the individual nodes of the network – is just as vital.

Radios, terminals, command hubs and all receivers and transceivers within a resilient communication network must be able to withstand cyber attacks in addition to physical security breach attempts. To stay ahead of these threats, it is paramount that these devices can upgrade to meet the latest encryption and decryption standards that the U.S. National Security Agency regularly updates for Communications Security and Transmission Security.

 

3. A Joint Force On the Same Page

Breaking the Barriers to Deliver JADC2

Multi-domain operations in the digital era will require multi-service collaboration. As discussed previously, any communication in a modern battlespace must be near-instantaneous to stay ahead of fast-paced threats. The elimination of branch- or national-based silos is imperative to enable the coalition interoperability required for CJADC2 against a peer adversary.

Establishment or modernization of communications networks need to have considerations for how individual components interoperate with one another, the waveforms and accessories, ancillaries and other devices constituting the whole. This is in addition to how the network itself securely cooperates and operates with other networks within an allied operation.

4. Embracing a Spectrum of Resiliency

Acquiring the Link 16 tactical data link product line will allow L3Harris to expand resilient communication and networking capabilities

Militaries have arsenals of weaponry for national security preparedness because there is no one panacea to combat the unknown. Likewise, with the myriad of mission sets requiring resilient communications in the modern age, no one waveform can answer the call for every operation.

Access to a full library of waveforms, with various levels of resiliency to meet the bespoke requirements of unique operations, keys success today and into the future and ensures all fighting forces are always connected. Defense organizations should partner with industry leaders with proven success delivering this spectrum of resiliency, from Link 16 through Mobile Ad Hoc Networks to more-exquisite waveforms for the most-critical mission sets.

5. Withstand the Punishment of Combat

Anti-jam Resilient Radio Objective Waveform for Secure Coalition Interoperability

When resilient communications are assured through a spectrum of resilient waveforms, protected by the latest in cryptography encryption, and interoperable across the Joint Force and members of an allied coalition, the final consideration in communications modernization is making sure the radios and devices themselves can withstand the punishment of the modern battlespace – and update to keep up with it.

The equipment we provide our warfighters is their lifeline when completing their missions safely. This technology needs to be easy to operate and upgrade to emerging capabilities, as well as able to survive the environments and conditions the frontlines take the operators.

We never want our U.S. warfighters or our allies to enter a fair fight, and the radios they carry are a big contributor to their ability to overmatch an enemy force.


While data throughput and networking are also important to expedite cross-echelon decision making, defense organizations must first ensure the resiliency of the networks themselves, with battle-proven techniques, methods and capabilities – otherwise, the networks, information and troops themselves are put in harm’s way.

As adversarial technology innovation focused on disrupting or denying Joint Force communications accelerates in the early part of this century, it is important that defense organizations collaborate with industry partners delivering proven and trusted solutions based on decades of experience supporting operations around the world. 

Talk to Our Team

L3Harris Technologies provides end-to-end resilient communications network that enable CJADC2. From specific solutions to fully integrated networks, our resilient waveforms, software-defined radios, weapon datalinks and open-systems approaches deliver actionable intelligence from sensors, regardless of domain, to warfighters at the tactical edge. Our open-systems architecture and software-designed radios support coalition interoperability through common designs and easy integration of products into larger coalition communications networks.

Talk to our team today about how L3Harris can meet your resilient communications requirements today with solutions providing flexibility to upgrade tomorrow.

CONTACT AN EXPERT

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Media Contact

For media information or to request a subject matter expert interview, contact:

Jason Simpson

Sr. Manager, External Communications
Communication Systems

C: 603-400-9285

Jason.Simpson01@L3Harris.com