New and emerging technologies for communication links promise high bandwidth, greatly improved radio channels and a new generation of wireless, mobile communications. The objective of this theme is to investigate the management and security needed for the secure and reliable exchange of information across these networks. A longer-term research goal is to investigate future networks based on leading-edge technologies such as intelligent agents and active networks.

Interoperable Networks for Secure Communications

INSC is a three-year international R&D collaborative project governed by a Memorandum of Understanding between eight NATO nations. The aim of the project is to specify, implement, test, and demonstrate a common technical architecture for interoperable secure military networks. The project will provide background experience as a basis for the definition and ratification of NATO interoperability STANAGs for secure communications. The project will conclude with a multi-national networking demonstration in 2003.

Network Security and Infrastructure Vulnerability

The aim of this activity is to investigate network security using IPsec and VPN technologies and to develop the capability to detect and counter attacks against the infrastructure of communication networks.

Coalition Network Management

Robust and reliable interactive multimedia services will characterize the next generation of military Command and Control and Distributed Simulation applications. The aim of this R&D activity is to investigate the network management needed for the high speed and resilient network infrastructure to support those applications. Specific studies will focus on network management during coalition deployment in a multi-national Project Agreement for TTCP.