Embedded Computing Design - OpenSystems Media

Surveillance and control systems for the modern military
The modern military is becoming more networked. This
facilitates all forms of communications and can also enhance
the safety of modern military tactical training programs.
This article will discuss how Performance Technologies’ MPS800
Communications Server and Radar Receiver Protocol are being
used in a Wide Area Network (WAN) designed by Digicomp
Research for the United States Joint Forces Command’s Joint
Combat Identification Exercise (JCIDEX).
JCIDEX
JCIDEX conducts large-scale tactical training exercises to evaluate
and assess integration and interoperability of systems to improve
tactics, techniques, and procedures across all combat mission
areas. During training exercises, an evaluation or warning area is
established and monitored to ensure that the military participants
stay within the designated warning area established for the exercise.
Additionally, the warning area must also be monitored to ensure
civilian aircraft do not enter the area.
By Steve Wigent
Aircraft radar management
Digicomp has designed a surveillance and control system that
utilizes a WAN to manage radar data from multiple sources so that
aircraft can be tracked, displayed, and monitored. The system is
the first of its kind used by JCIDEX to manage evaluation airspace.
The Performance Technologies Radar Protocol and the MPS800
Communications Server are used to ensure the awareness of
military participants, and any civilian traffic that may mistakenly
enter the field of play. During one JCIDEX exercise, the Digicomp
system monitored more than 350 air events flown within 15,000
square miles of airspace over a period of 60 hours.
The Radar Receiver Protocol, running entirely on the MPS800,
can be configured independently for each of the eight serial ports
the MPS800 offers and supports a number of different radar
formats, including CD-2, TPS-43, ASTERIX (RAMP), and
Thompson-CSF. Performance Technologies provides the ability
to receive and transmit these formats from remote sites over
significant distances.
The network incorporates a number of MPS800s that are connected
via Ethernet to a central location. Radar data is received on
a MPS800’s serial line, and the appropriate radar protocol strips
out the radar particulars (e.g. headers, idle messages), and then
retransmits the payload over Ethernet to a central server on the
network for further processing and eventual display/monitoring
on a radar operator’s console. A example of this type of WAN is
shown in Figure 1.
The MPS800 can connect up to eight serial lines of data that can
carry a number of different protocols (HDLC, Radar, X.25, Frame
Relay, etc.). Each serial line can be accessed simultaneously by
multiple clients. The MPS800 is a WAN/LAN data communication
server that attaches to LANs to provide wide-area connectivity.
Figure 1
The MPS800 also provides one 10/100 Ethernet port for connecting
the LAN to the WAN. This capability makes the MPS800
ideal for applications that require an intelligent WAN/LAN
bridge, WAN/LAN gateway device, or a remote WAN connectivity
server. Through TCP/IP connections and Performance
Technologies’ MPS-API, virtually all computers and workstations
on the LAN can access information from this server.
In the Digicomp system, the MPS800 is being used as a WAN/LAN
bridge, and the radar protocol is being used to carry the data. This
surveillance and control system is one example of how the modern
military is using Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) products to
become networked.
Steve Wigent has served as Product Manager,
Network Access Products for Performance
Technologies for the past five years. Prior to
joining Performance Technologies, he held
various product management and marketing
positions. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science
in Electricity and Electronics Technology with
a concentrated study in Telecommunications
and Micro Computer Architecture from
Central Missouri State University.
For further information, contact Steve at:
Performance Technologies
205 Indigo Creek Drive • Rochester, NY 14626
Tel: 585-256-0200 • Fax: 585-256-0791
E-mail: scw@pt.com • Website: www.pt.com
52 / Summer 2004 Embedded Computing Design