State-of-the-art data communications increasingly involves the use of packet switching technology. However, currently the major military record traffic networks, such as the an/tyc-39 and autodin, are unable to take advantage of the benefits of an existing packet switching network such as the ddn, or of a compatible tactical packet switching network (tpn). The defense message system (dms) target architecture and implementation strategy (tais) of december 1988 describes the defense communications agency's (dca) plan for evolving from its current communications architecture (similar to the tactical communications architecture) towards a 2008 state-ofthe-art architecture. Their goals are similar to the tactical nessaging requirements and, in fact, will drive the tactical community into accommodating their architecture in order to ensure continused connectivity/interoperability. The primary goal of this project is to demonstrate interoperability between the an/tyc-39 tactical message network and the tactical packet network (tpn). A secondary goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating multi-vendor cots/ndi hardware and software to achieve message switch/packet switch interoperability.
