The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of America (DARPA) has tested an interference-free communications center. The tests were carried out at the proving ground in conditions of signal suppression by various methods and instruments. The tests took place almost 10 months ago, but the results were only announced now.
What is it all about?
US Armed Forces use several radio communication systems. They transmit data at different frequencies, in encryption systems that are incompatible with each other. To ensure the continuity of the data transfer process and "seamless" switching between channels, DARPA decided to develop a special translator.
The high-throughput device is being developed as part of the DyNAMO program. DYnamic Network Adaptation for Mission Optimization is a real-time dynamic network adaptation program for mission optimization. The program started 4 years ago. Its purpose is to guarantee the interaction of different communication centers: on the ground, in the air and at sea.
It is extremely important that the translator can not only efficiently and continuously switch between channels, but also function in conditions of signal blockage - the air forces of many countries use different types of jammers. The enemy can do the same during real combat or terrorist actions.
The translator was field tested in February 2020.
How were the tests
The tests of the new system were carried out at the Air Force Research Lab near New York. Various tactical data transmission channels were deployed at the test site in real time.
As part of the study, the translator could facilitate the transfer of data between networks of the following standards:
During the tests at the proving ground, some of the communication systems were static, others were dynamic. The translator proved to be resistant to signal suppression and allowed data transmission at high speed.
DARPA compared the principle of operation of the new translator with the device of a modern cellular signal, which can ping from one tower to another without losing the quality of communication. The signal is transmitted automatically. For the end user, it does not matter what technologies are involved, he just needs to be “online”.
Why all this?
The point is to have continuous radio communication. In this case, the used data transmission channel does not matter. If such a signal encounters interference or blockages in the spectrum, then the information is transmitted through another node.
The technology is planned to be transferred to the command of the air forces and the Marine Corps. Those, in turn, will place the corresponding software on a special radio platform for use on airplanes and ground vehicles.
Another secure way to communicate
new scalable way of transmitting data over quantum channels . The security of quantum communication is based on fundamental laws of physics, not on the computational complexity of the algorithms used. To use quantum communication, you need not only to be able to transfer data over tens and hundreds of kilometers, but also to ensure the safety of communication nodes within it. But this is almost unattainable, since there are many of them. However, scientists from England, Austria, Croatia and China presented a new method with which they conducted a quantum communication session. Method based
on simple two-particle signal mode entanglement. To demonstrate the technique, they conducted a session with eight people. As a result, it was possible to achieve a key generation rate of 100 bit / s.
