Communication Systems

• Space Control ›
• Air and Missile Defense Technology ›
• Communication Systems ›
  • Wireless Networking Library ›
• Cyber Security and Information Sciences ›
• ISR Systems and Technology ›
• Advanced Technology ›
• Tactical Systems ›
• Homeland Protection ›
• Air Traffic Control ›
• Engineering ›

More about the Communication Systems mission

• Future outlook and focus for upcoming year

Principal Accomplishments

• Lincoln Laboratory performed an initial demonstration of a tactical radio test range that will provide comprehensive instrumentation and evaluation of emerging tactical communications systems and waveforms on ground and airborne mobile radio platforms.

A technical staff member of the Wideband Tactical Networking Group operates the Portable Army Communications-on-the-move Terminal Block 1 mobile SATCOM terminal that demonstrates the ability to have mobile communications that are robust to disruption by jamming or other attacks.

• Technology development and flight experiments were completed for the Communications Airborne Layer Expansion Joint Capability Technology Demonstration.

• A disruption-tolerant networking protocol was adapted for multi-hop long-haul communication applications and was evaluated by using a transmission protocol network test bed to perform detailed characterization of the protocol over a wide range of link conditions.

• Field measurements to characterize optical atmospheric channels in a range of environments were performed in locations around the United States. A modeling tool was developed to help users analyze a variety of communication systems and link configurations.

• The Laboratory initiated proof-of-concept development of a small-form-factor, protected satellite communications (SATCOM) modem for ground-based  SATCOM-on-the-move applications.

• Technology was developed to significantly increase SATCOM capacity via ground-segment communications processing enhancements.

• A new framework for speaker recognition achieved a fivefold reduction in equal error rate. It was transitioned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Forensic Audio, Video, and Image Analysis Unit.

• Biometric person-identification research and development were extended to include voice and face biometrics, and new face-comparison tools were transitioned to the FBI forensic analysis unit.

• The Laboratory extended the range of its multi-Gb/s air-to-ground laser communication system to >80 km over aggressive atmospheric channel conditions.

• Vocal biomarkers developed for depression monitoring were derived automatically from phonologically based measures of speech rate and showed stronger relationships with depression  severity than previously reported for speech-rate measures.

• The high-data-rate military SATCOM waveform that the Laboratory developed and demonstrated for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) readout was provided to more than 25 industry and government teams.

• Low-profile military SATCOM antennas for airborne applications were delivered to the Laboratory and flight tested.

• New technologies for net-centric operations include a framework that allows users to construct, share, and execute applications without programming and an architecture and prototype implementation that federates resource-brokering across mission areas.