SoldierLink TM System (SLS)

Providing dismounted soldiers on the battlefield access to the

Tactical Cloud

NSG

DIVBDEBN

PLTSQDTL

CO

• WIN-T• High Bandwidth• Classified

Lower-Tier“Radio Funnel” Today(200 Kbs at best!)

• MANET• High Bandwidth• UnClass Encrypted• Future - Classified

• LOS/BLOS Reachback• Lower Bandwidth• Boundary Cyber-ProtectionAKNW Cloud Network

• 5-10Mbs/Soldier• 10-20Mbs/Vehicle

AKNW MANET Technology

Ensuring robust connectivity for even the lowest-level combat units

AchievingthegoalsoftheArmyModernizationPlanrequiresconnectivityto

theedgeofthenetwork,andsupportofthelowest-tierfightingunits.TheSoldierLinkTMSystemfromNorthropGrummanmeetsthisneed.

Filling the Transport Gap in Mission CommandAstheArmyModernizationPlanstates,“TheArmyStrategyistodevelopandfieldaversatilesetoftailorableandnetworkedorganizationsthatoperateonarotationalcycle.”TheprioritiesforimplementingthestrategyandequippingtheArmyareto:

• Networktheforce• Deteranddefeathybridthreats• Protectandempower

thesoldier

Whiletheprioritiesofthemoder-nizationstrategyarewellestab-lished,theMissionCommandCenterofExcellence(MCCOE)

describestheneedforatrans-portnetworkprovidingbettersoldierconnectivity.MCCOEfurtherdefinestheneedforaninformationarchitecturethatsupportsthelowest-tierfightingelementswithrelevantdata.Thiscapabilitywould:• Functionasalocalinforma-

tionrepositoryridingoncompanycommunications

• Workwhenconnectedtohigherechelons

• Providethecompanysomemeasureofautonomywhenseveredfromhigher-tiernetworksduetodisruption

Today,thereisacriticalshort-fallwith(1)dismountedsoldierandleaderconnectivityand(2)accesstocompanyinformationresources.Datageneratedbycompany-levelresourcescannotbesharedinternallyamongthelowesttierfightingelements,thecommandpostandleaders.AlthoughthresholdcapabilitiesbaseduponolderJointTacticalRadioSystem(JTRS)perfor-mancerequirementsaddressminimumvoiceandpositionlocationneeds,thereisstilla“transportgap”totheedgeofthenetwork–wheresoldiersperformmissionsandrequire

accesstorobustandrelevantinformationresources.

The SoldierLinkTM System (SLS): Northrop Grumman’s Mission Command Solution SoldierLinkTMSystemsupportstheArmyModernizationPlanequippingstrategyandmeetskeyMissionCommandontheMove(MCOTM)capabilitygaps.SoldierLinkTMSystemdoesthisbyprovidingamobiletacticalcloudtransportnetworkthatconnectssoldiersatsquadandplatoonlevelstocompany-levelinforma-tionservices.

UsingAdvancedKineticNet-workingWaveform(AKNW)andmodernnetworkingprotocols,SoldierLinkTMSystemestablishesahigh-speeddatanetworkthatissecure,“infrastructure-less”andMobileAd-hocNetworks(MANET).Thisallowslowerechelonsatthetacticaledgetoshareoperationaldataoverbandwidthssimilartohigherechelonnetworks(likeWIN-T).Lower-andupper-tiernetworksarebridgedoverlimitedbandwidthcombatnetworkingradioswithboundarycyber-protectionandgatewayservices–whichareappliedbetweenthecompanyandbattalionnetworks.

TheSoldierLinkTMSystemradionetworkisatechnologicalandoperationalinnovationthat:• Providessignificantimprove-

mentoverplannedlower-tiernetworkthresholdcapability

• Offersimprovementsindoctrine,operations,materiel,leaders,personnel(DOTMLP)

• ResolvescurrentArmylower-tiernetworkingissuesforfuturecapabilitysets

Connection to Soldiers TheSoldierLinkTMSystemprovidesanall-IPmobile-meshingradio-transporttechnologyusingad-vancedprotocolsandpacketaggregationalgorithmstoformhighspeedMANETs.SoldierLinkTMSystemAKNWradionodesfunc-tionasaswitch,router,accesspointorgatewaytoothernet-worksandconnectviaEthernetstandards.Real-worldnetworksinminingoperationstodayscaleupto1000nodes.

Datathroughputsperdismounteduserandvehicleplatformrangefrom5to20Mbsencrypted.Throughputatthislevelenablesweb-basedservicesandcloudapplicationsresidentinthe

companycommandpostandthroughoutlower-tiernetworksconnectingplatoonsandsquads.SoldierLinkTMSystemAKNWradionodesinterfacewithseveralpro-gramsofrecordandcommercialnetworksincluding:• Harris117G(ANW2)• HMS/RR(SRW)• MNVR(WNW)• WIN-T• BFT2• 3G/4GTacticalCellular• BGAN(Commercial)

Soldiersenterthenetworkthrougharuggedizedcommer-cial-off-the-shelfAndroidOSsmartphonecalledtheBattleSleeveTMEnd-User-Device(EUD).Everysoldierorplatformisanend-pointclientwithcomputingcapabilitiesthatsupportahostofapplicationsanddependuponrole(leaderorfollower)privilegesauthorizedaccordingtoposition.TheBattleSleeveTMEUDisthesoldier’spersonalinformationcenter.Ithostsanumberofinformationresourcesandweb-serviceapplications,including:

• Tacticalradio-over-IP(PTT)• Voice-over-IP(VoIPtelephony)• C2/SA(FBCB2/BFTandJBC-P)• ISRreporting(TIGR)• FireSupport(FOS)• Videoaccess(OSRVTAir,

GroundRecon,Soldier)• MissionProvisioning/File

TransferProtocol(Maps,Orders,Graphics)

• Chat• TrainingPOI• MaintenancePOI

Components and FeaturesDismount Kit:• SLSRadio(2Ch)• BattleSleeveTMEUD

(AndroidOS)• Cables,headsetandbatteries• 7.2lbsexcludingbatteryweight

Vehicle Kit:• SLS(AKNW)Radio(4Ch)• C2/SAvehiclecomputer• CrossDomainGuard(CDG)• Cablesandheadsets

• Net-CentricNetworkManagement(N2M)

• NetworkServiceGateway(NSG)• ConfigurationOver-the-Air

(COTA)• Significantlyhigherthroughput

comparedtoJTRS(x10s)• Flathierarchy–forms-

on-the-fly• InteroperablewithPOR

networks(BFT,WIN-T,JTRS,Harris,others)

• Technologyreadinesslevel7/8/9

• Securedviaapprovedencryptionmeans(NISTFIPS/NSASuiteB)

• FullMotionVideo(FMV)• Situationalawareness

viatacticalmulticast• Spectrumagilityvia

mutli-bandmutli-frequency• RadioMeanTimeBetween

Failure(MTBF)at160Khrs• PlatformapprovedforUH60

AerialUAVapplicationswww.northropgrumman.com©2013NorthropGrummanSystemsCorporation.Allrightsreserved.ApprovedforPublicRelease:13-1111IS7870113DSD

Benefits that empower soldiers and leaders Accessto“cloudservices”pro-videssoldiersandleaderswith:• Increasedforceprotection• Moreaccuratesituational

awareness• Improvedvisualrecognition

andidentification• Precisetargetingandsynchro-

nizedweaponseffects• Bettercollaborationand

informationexchangebetweencombatusersgroups

• OthervitalMissionCommandcapabilities

SLSisaturnkeycommunicationandinformationnetworkthatprovidesarobusttransportca-pabilityconnectingsoldiersandleaderstofightingplatformsandcompanyinformationresources.Thisenablesbettersharing,collaboration,coordinationandconnectivity–which,ultimatelyempowersthesoldier.

ExperienceNorthropGrummanwastheprimecontractorfortheBlueForceTracking(BFT)systemandsupportsJointBattleCom-mand–Platform(JBC-P)soft-waremaintenance.ThecompanyworkswiththeU.S.ArmyNetworkIntegrationEvaluation(NIE)pro-gramtodevelop,deliver,evaluateandtesttacticalnetworkingsolu-tionsforBrigadeCombatTeams(BCTs)downtothesquadlevels.

For more information, please contact:NorthropGrummanInformationSystems1800GlennCurtisSt.Carson,CA90746SLS@ngc.com310-764-3854

Command Post Kit:• Videoencoder• Crossdomainguard• RoutingandIPconfiguration• Un-interruptedPowerSupply• Cloudservicesmanagement• Cloudstorage• Net-centricNetwork

Management(N2M)

Features:• Higheraggregatethroughput

peruser• BetterconnectivitytoSoldiers• Peerdiscovery/initialization• Routing/tunnelingProtocol• SupportsVoice/SA• MinimalornoFixed

Infrastructure• Simplifiedforcombat

Operations(on/offDevices)• Scalestosupportcombat

organizations(BNsandCOs)