BLOS communications technologies for the deep battle-a UK perspective

While peace support and peace enforcement operations dominate much defence thinking, there is still a need for advanced communications technologies to support warfighting in the so-called `non-linear battlespace´, where there are islands of operation and areas of influence separated by regions not under own-coalition control. This is the domain of the attack helicopter and of reconnaissance systems, and other deep-battle forces. This paper summarises the requirement and surveys possible technology solutions, including advanced HF, satcom, and UAV-borne relay of various forms. It considers the architectural question of linkage of such solutions into the theatre infrastructure, and their application to the more general requirements for `range extension´ on the battlefield