TACNET: Mobile ad hoc Secure Communications Network

On the road and during tactical maneuvers, the Blue Force must maintain situational awareness to effectively react and respond. The Tactical Network, or TacNet, is a mobile ad hoc communications network developed by Sandia National Laboratories to provide Blue Force personnel with secure access to critical data, such as real-time maps of resource positions. During development of the system, the Sandia team addressed a variety of issues, including the need for (a) mobile communications without fixed infrastructure and (b) security features, e.g., an access control list. The team considered commercial-off-the-shelf products, but determined that a semi-customized system would better suit its requirements. The final product, TacNet, a field-tested and proven mobile network, incorporates two major systems: (1) an In-Vehicle System, including a graphical user interface, and (2) a Dismounted Solution, also known as Tracker. TacNet employs a line-of-sight mesh radio network, which is self-forming, self-healing, and multi-hopping. Both the In- Vehicle and Tracker systems can be applied in combination or separately to a variety of purposes, including real-time training analysis, targeting capability, and friend or foe identification. This paper describes the development process for TacNet and its future potential, such as extending line-of-sight through unmanned aerial vehicles.