Communications system considerations for unattended army battlefield munition and sensor systems

Current army munition and sensor systems are activated, or provide limited target information, via user-unique, one-way, short-range, and unprotected data links. This paper defines technical constraints and issues, and describes one technical and programmatic approach to select and to system engineer a common communications system that will meet current and future munition/sensor operational and technical requirements. This development approach involves four primary phases; alternatives analysis, system architecture development and prototyping integration planning, and cost and schedule planning. Implementing a flexible, common communications and sensor fusion architectural solution for munition and sensor systems will; ensure interoperability among systems and tactical external operations facilities, allow for technology insertion, reduce acquisition times, and will result in much lower long-term development and life-cycle maintenance and product improvement costs when compared to stovepipe, custom, proprietary solutions on an individual system-by-system basis