Airborne Solutions for True Net-Centric Connectivity at the Tactical Edge

Terms like "connectivity" have a variety of meanings and connotations in the realm of tactical communications. The author attempts to define what is entailed in "net-centric connectivity" and sets out to explore technology options to support interoperability for the tactical communication links currently in service on military airborne platforms. Both the U.S. domestic and international military communities are recognizing the importance of interfacing between modern and legacy communication systems - between internet-protocol (IP) and non-IP-based networks. The author contends that the process of moving towards total-IP networks can only occur through a phased evolution, and addresses what technologies are needed to begin the process. The author also addresses the needs for both data and network management within this evolutionary path and explores the nature of the software and machine intelligence that will need to be employed in order to make the Net-Centric environment a reality.