A Unified Solution to Cognitive Radio Programming, Test and Evaluation for Tactical Communications

Abstract

Spectrum is limited, but the demand for it is growing steadily with new users, applications, and services in both commercial and tactical communications. The current paradigm of static spectrum allocation cannot satisfy this demand, resulting in a congested, contested environment with poor spectrum efficiency. Tactical radios need to share spectrum with other in- and out-ofnetwork tactical and commercial radios, subject to potential jamming and other security attacks. Cognitive radio provides tactical communications with new means of spectrum sharing, cohabitation configurability, and adaptation to improve communication rates, connectivity, robustness, and situational awareness, all translated to network- centric mission success. A systematic solution to SDR programming and test and evaluation (T&E) is needed to address spectrum challenges with the network-centric mission success set as the primary goal. Once equipped with cognitive radio capabilities, tactical radios can quickly and reliably discover the white-space and effectively use spectrum opportunities across time, space, and frequency. This article presents the design and implementation of a visual and modular radio software programming tool that supports easy, fast, and radio-agnostic development of cognitive radio and network protocols and security mechanisms. This tool is fully integrated with a unified T&E framework that applies the same SDR solution to high fidelity simulation and emulation tests under a common, controllable, and repeatable scenario. This unified approach makes prototyping of cognitive radio capabilities with tactical radios faster, easier, and cost-effective.