Global Broadcast Service DVB-T Tactical Broadcast Architecture

Abstract

The global broadcast service (GBS) provides a worldwide, high capacity, one-way transmission of classified and unclassified video, imagery, and other information as required to support joint military forces in garrison, in transit, and in theater, GBS enables real-time information product delivery to the warfighter by providing a combination of leased commercial and government owned satellite communications payloads that are shared based on CINC/JTP commanders' priorities, operational locations, and the platform capabilities of the deployed users. Led by the GBS Joint Program Office (JPO) and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the DoD is currently performing a technology refresh of the GBS satellite headend and receive terminal architectures, focusing on digital video broadcast (DVB) open standards, IP data transport, and commercial communications technology. This technology refresh effort has significantly enhanced the capabilities and real-time IP-based services that GBS provides to theater-deployed warfighters. While the GBS IP technology refresh has increased the availability of broadband SATCOM services to deployed forces, the significant challenge remains of extending GBS broadband communications services to the mobile, tactically disadvantaged warfighter. digital video broadcast-terrestrial (DVB-T) is a robust wireless transport technology that can provide one-way broadband services to mobile warfighters in the last mile tactical environment. This paper presents the engineering strategies and design principles used to develop a secure GBS tactical wireless extension architecture using commercial DVB-T technology. The paper also discusses the performance and design considerations associated with mobile warfighter reception of broadband GBS services over a last-mile DVB-terrestrial broadcast