Wireless networks of opportunity in support of secure field operations

Under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funding for joint military and law enforcement technologies and Global Mobile Information Systems (GloMo), demonstrations were held in September 1996 of secure information transfer in support of military operations other than war and law enforcement (OOTW/LE), via wireless and wired technology. Wireless networks of opportunity encompassed building, campus, metropolitan, and national scales. Data was encrypted via FORTEZZA technology, for use over unsecured networks. Mechanisms for the guarded transport of data through the secret-high military tactical Internet were included, to support joint law enforcement and crisis management missions. A secure World Wide Web (WWW) browser formed the primary interface for information retrieval and submission. Both still and motion compressed video were demonstrated, along with secure voice transmission from laptop computers in the field. Issues of network bandwidth, air-time costs, and deployment status are discussed