A testbed to emulate next-generation directional RF and free-space optical tactical networks

The tactical edge network emulation tool (TENET) hardware integration system (THIS) is designed to characterize higher layer responses to the dynamic physical layer topology of a tactical network utilizing directional communication links. THIS emulates the mobile, tactical, network environment using the hardware in a static infrastructure. MATLAB-based tools implement the TENET emulation to simulate mobility induced link fragility, and the distributed adaptive pre-computed restoration (DAPR) algorithm to conduct dynamic network topology optimization. A fast, reconfigurable, full-mesh network of six nodes represents the resulting physical layer topology on a laboratory optical bench. A collection of LabVIEW programs, collectively named the tactical hardware automation tool (THAT), coordinates with TENET output and a Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based optical switch to dynamically conform the links between the six fixed nodes to the simulated network topology. Standard real-world programs are run at higher network layer protocols and respond to the dynamic physical layer accordingly. Thus, experiments utilizing this test bed can characterize network performance of the emulated mobile tactical network. This paper outlines the test bed in full, but will also briefly describe the network emulation methodology, as well as the initial results of some physical layer restoration performance to act as a baseline for future net-centric application testing.