Integrating Cellular Handset Capabilities with Military Wireless Communications

Traditionally, for tactical Command & Control (C2), the Marine Corps utilized strictly voice communications as a result of continued reliability, modern innovative technology vulnerabilities, and the lack of ubiquitous data connectivity. Recently, driven by the technology advances there has been a shift in the paradigm toward more utilization of data applications, such as tactical chat and Blue Force tracker. In this paper, we present distributed, wireless, cellular-handset integration concepts to significantly increase data capabilities on the battlefield. We envision three different technical approaches to integrating cellular handset (i) modifying the handset’s software to facilitate tethering with deployed tactical radios, (ii) bridging with a standalone mobile cellular base station, and (iii) modifying the military tactical radios and minimally modifying the cellular handsets to create secure wireless interoperability. An alternative to these solutions would be to entirely replace military communications with a commercial equivalence. In this approach, a mobile base station would provide coverage for each area of operation with a satellite connection for reachback. We analyze each approach regarding its impact on the amount of equipment, reliability or security, and cost per unit. We conclude, based on lab experiments and field testing that the most promising solution is a software upgrade for the commercial cellular handsets and tactical radios to prevent additional hardware dependencies, increase cellular security, and reduce the changes to the current infrastructure.