Today's DoD requires highly flexible secure communications for data and voice communications to meet the rapid response requirements to any area of the world. Tactical systems now being fielded utilize 1970's digital switching technology while the Army MSE program has upgraded this technology to include RF links, call routing, data transmission, and subscriber support features developed in the early 1980's. The commercial telecommunications industry has developed the second generation of wireless digital mobile communications technology. This emerging Spread Spectrum digital cellular technology has characteristics of impportance in secure DoD applications. These characteristics include low probability of intercept, low user power consumption, soft handoff and reduced frequency planning. These features can be combined with intelligent switch features to support the unique features required by DoD users. These switch architectures provide a capbility for scaling the size of the systems to meet the requirements of the transportable systems. The modular and layered implementations provide the protocol independence necessary to support continuing system evolution to new capabilities and standards. The TSCC SBIR program will provide a proof of concept of the application of the commercial digital cellular systems to the DoD requirements for transportable secure wireless communications systems.
Keywords: security digital cellular
