Network Centric Communications for Expeditionary or Carrier Strike Groups

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Abstract : The Department of Defense (DoD) utilizes the Global Information Grid (GIG) to provide the capability for deployed forces to obtain and share information with users dispersed worldwide. In the current US Naval communications architecture, ships within a strike group access services on the GIG predominantly through Satellite Communication (SATCOM) links. Typical SATCOM bandwidths found on small ships range from 256 512 kbps, while large ships have the capacity for 4 8 Mbps. While high bandwidth communications are available on large ships, small ships do not have the ability to leverage this bandwidth by dynamically selecting the most capable link available. Consequently, ships do not efficiently utilize the available bandwidth within the strike group limiting the ability for smaller ships to effectively gain access to services on the GIG. There is a need for a US Naval communications architecture that will create the ability for smaller ships to access the high bandwidth communications available on the large decks in order to obtain the most current information that the strike group may possess. Using this new architecture will allow all ships, resident in the strike group, to effectively access services on the GIG such as those provided by the Consolidated Afloat Network Enterprise System (CANES). In providing these services, platforms within the strike group will have the ability to share Service Based Architecture (SBA) information, leverage the most current data that is stored within the strike group and communicate with the external world through the most efficient and capable link. This research document proposes a system that will allow users on small and medium sized US Navy ships to gain access and utilize the much greater communications bandwidth that is available on the large Navy ships.