Future Combat Systems Wireless Network Architecture Considerations

Abstract

This paper investigates how the ad hoc wireless network throughput (T) in bits per second (bps) performance, as a function of capacity (W) bps and the number of nodes (n), is a dominate factor in determining the future combat systems operational capability. The paper describes the large disparity between the theoretical throughput of W/radicn bps compared to the best experimentally achieved of W/n ^1.7 and the inability of known approaches such as TDMA, CDMA, relays, and mobility to approach the theoretical performance. The large disparity between the theoretical performance and known approaches motivates need to answer the questions: what throughput is required?, what throughput has been achieved?, and what will therefore be the architecture?, early in the system design process. The appendix uses some simplifying assumptions to provide a more intuitive approach that approximates the proof of the theoretical limit of W/n ^1.7 bps, as the mathematically rigorous approach referenced in this paper involves a lengthy and complex proof