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SB004 1

Advantages of IP for Highly Complex Tactical Voice CommunicationsAs commercial communications become more and more dominated by IP, tactical organizations can take advantage of the benefits without sacrificing performance or security. A good comm system integrator places requirements first. The procurement organization and the comm system integrator must work together and keep the user, the mission, performance, security, and dependability at the forefront. System requirements should never be driven by technology. Technology is a tool to be used by the integrator. In the case of applying IP to tactical platform voice, neither the procurement organization or the integrator should dumb down the requirements in order to be able to use commercial IP equipment. Instead, both should recognize the multitude of unique requirements that tactical platforms and organizations have always had due to their missions, environment, ways of coordination, urgency, and the extreme consequences of miscommunication or inability to communicate. These elements are independent of technology and much more important. A good communications integrator can help the procurement organization obtain the benefits of IP transmission while continuing to satisfy the full set of requirements. The warfighter deserves no less.

Areas requiring special attention as IP is introducedThe very characteristics of IP that make it so attractive also demand special attention throughout the life of the system to ensure that the quality of communications is maintained and that security is not compromised.

Latency is inherently introduced in the creation of voice packets. Situations common on tactical platforms require that latency be controlled more tightly than is typical commercially.

A major advantage of IP is the reduction of cable plant complexity by sharing the network infrastructure across many unrelated systems and users. For a tactical platform handling a mix of classified and unclassified traffic, security design and management becomes a top priority.

Prior to IP, the cable plant for a communications system was installed and remained unchanged unless the comm organization changed it. With IP, on-going network management is crucial across multiple systems to maintain both quality and security.

During casualties, communications is vital to safety of ship and protection of lives. Dependence upon the network for communications makes this more challenging.

Latency

Security

Network Management

Casualty Operations

Area Summary

Tactical Communication Solution Briefs2

Administrative Organizations• Dominated by point-to-point calls• Occasional conference calls to save money

Tactical Organizations• Dominated by large internal nets, intercoms, radio nets, Preset conferences, and announcements• Actions affect missions, save lives, and protect the ship• Also uses point-to-point calls for administrative purposes and quality of life

Topology

Commercial VoIP advantagesVoIP, as with all commercial communication technologies, was developed and optimized for its primary market: consumers, businesses, and civilian government agencies. Among the myriad of benefits envisioned for using IP were:• Reduced transmission costs by encoding voice or video and sending only essential information.• Reduced transmission costs by using a common pipe for data, voice, and video from many different users. The pipe could be a cable, a fiber, a microwave link, or a satellite link. In fact, the path becomes transparent to the user, non-deterministic, and just thought of as the network or cloud.• Simplification of interoperability—if one has network connectivity, he can access anyone, anywhere, for any type of application.Indeed, IP continues to transform our lives at a hectic pace. Households are dropping landline phones and using cellular or IP voice bundled with their internet and cable service.

How do tactical organizations differSolution Briefs SB002 and SB003 are recommended reading for a detailed discussion of the differences between commercial communications and tactical communications. The two figures below provide a quick summary of the differences. VoIP was designed to efficiently handle thousands of point-to-point telephone calls. The complications of tactical communications were not a concern of VoIP developers, so it is up to the tactical communication system integrator to adapt IP technology in a manner which preserves the functionality, robustness, and security of the best of today’s tactical communication systems.

Why these differences matter• Net operations and multiple circuit monitoring create situations in which the parameters optimized for point-to-point calls are not satisfactory in a tactical system.• The consequences of system outages, uncompleted calls, busy signals, delays, and degraded quality are treated as annoyances by consumers and businesses. They threaten life and mission failure in a tactical environment.• Tactical organizations routinely must handle classified conversations, often in the same systems and using the same voice terminals as those that provide unclassified services. The tactical IP communication system must be both designed to protect these classified conversations and administered to maintain that security for life.• Network vulnerability is commercially important to prevent fraud, identity theft, and other serious repercussions. National security and mission success are added stakes on a tactical platform.

3

Management of Critical Parameters for Tactical OrganizationsLatency and related issues — Two people talking face-to-face hear each other in real time so there is zero latency. Two people talking on cell phones experience the effects of latency in the network. The delay is variable and at times annoying. Consider a business conference call with some participants in a conference room and others calling in from remote locations, sometimes using cell phones. This situation involves both latency and capture effects. Ideally, one person is talking at a time, but the transition from one speaker to another is much easier face-to-face than in the conference call situation. The speakerphone must switch between receive and transmit based upon the characteristics of voice in the conference room and that originating with remote users. We have all experienced the interruptions and start/stop nature of conversation under these conditions. We put up with it to avoid business travel and reduce costs.In a tactical organization, the quality of communications must be consistently high. Acceptable annoyances in the commercial world must be eliminated in tactical systems. Several situations contribute to making latency a parameter which must be more tightly controlled in a tactical system. 1. Any situation in which you can hear your own voice delayed (such as making an announcement) leads you to lose concentration and make you unable to continue talking coherently. 2. If you are in the room with someone and hear their voice in real time while also hearing them on a speaker or headset as part of a tactical net, any significant delay in the net will make you unable to concentrate on either version of the same conversation. 3. Radio nets are typically half-duplex. Each platform is either in receive or transmit at any given instant. Similar to the commercial conference call, the transitions between one speaker and another can be awkward and are normally aided by strict discipline on the net. Any issues of latency within any of the platforms can exacerbate the situation.Security and network management — Previous generations of tactical platform communications systems were characterized largely by point-to-point cables between tactical voice terminals and communications system infrastructure. All operations were deterministic. Various techniques were used to identify classified circuits and keep classified voice from getting to terminals or interfaces not authorized for access. Using the network to efficiently replace the massive bulk of point-to-point cables is a major advantage of using IP on a tactical platform. However, it requires the integrator to introduce a different set of techniques to ensure the classified traffic is kept under tight control.In addition, the use of a network introduces vulnerabilities common to computer systems that were not faced by previous communication systems. Although the earlier systems relied on embedded computers, they were for control only and they were closed systems. With IP communications, both digitized voice and control data travel in the IP cloud. Functionally, we would like the network to interface to the world so that we can be interoperable to the greatest extent possible. At the same time, we do not want to face the prospect of cyber attacks of various kinds (denial of service, phishing, interception, etc.). The procurement agency, comm system integrator, and user organization all have a part to play in the initial network design, its administration, active security measures, and lifelong reassessments of security threats and appropriate countermeasures.

Implement

Access

Respond

Manage

Policy

Tactical Communication Solution Briefs4

Robust availability for casualty operations

The internal communication system on a tactical platform is one of the first systems to be put into operation during construction and remains critical 24/7 for the life of the platform. This entails much more than rugged construction with reliable components. It affects architecture, modularity, redundancy, emergency sources of power, and cable plant topology. Typically, the comm system powers all of its equipment from central sources for efficient battery backup. With the introduction of the IP network as central to the comm system, robustness for casualty operations must be extended to the network components and topology. The entire platform is subject to fires, battle damage, and flooding. In any of these casualties, the comm system, even if degraded by the casualty, is expected to play a crucial role in mitigation action to protect the platform and lives. The communication system and the network must be analyzed as a whole to ensure that casualty operations remain viable with damage to particular parts of the platform.

Conclusion—take advantage of IP but keep requirements in the forefront

The quality of a tactical voice system is most dependent upon the quality of its design and architecture and its adherence to the needs of a tactical organization. Requirements come first; technology is only a tool for meeting requirements.

Fit for Tactical Operations

Secure

Solid Architecture

Strong Tactical Feature SetRobust

Definitely applicable but system design must address parameters not of concern in business applications

Potentially large savings, but requires expert judgment and active long-term IT management

Quality of Service and security concerns will likely slow the pace at which platforms consolidate networks

Unlikely to be applied to tactical systems in which immediate responses are required in a disciplined fashion

Take advantage of dominant commercial technology

Simplify cable plant using the network for everything

Single network for everything

Convergence (of email, voice, video, internet)

Benefits Sought from IP Tactical Platform Application

5

L-3 provides tactical VoIP without compromiseL-3 CS-E, the leader in tactical communications integration, has utilized all of its knowledge and experience to bring robust, tactical VoIP communications to the market without sacrificing performance, security, or safety.

Ever since VoIP emerged in the commercial world, military customers have been clamoring for VoIP solutions. Many companies have put together demonstration systems and most have included networked solutions in their marketing materials. Unfortunately, the technical characteristics of commercial VoIP approaches have not proven to be an easy fit with tactical communication requirements. As a result, robust tactical voice communication systems have been slow to appear. The communications integrator needs to overcome the following critical issues when applying VoIP to a tactical organization: • The standards for VoIP systems were developed to support business communications, in which the predominant mode of communications is a two party telephone call. In a tactical organization two-party telephone calls are not as important as intercom, radio calls, Meet-Me nets, announcing, secure calls, emergency nets, and Pre-Set conferences.• Similarly, the VoIP systems were developed with telephones as the end instruments. The instrument may be buried in a workstation or PC, but it has the characteristics of a telephone. In particular, it handles one active call at a time. Features exist for keeping track of other calls such as Call Hold, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, and Voice Mail; however, the human user only communicates on one call at a time. In a tactical organization, a single user needs to simultaneously monitor multiple calls while listening and responding to a particular call or circuit. This means hearing the audio on multiple calls, not managing them on hold.• Commercial VoIP systems are designed to make efficient use of network resources as a primary goal. The primary goal of a tactical voice system must be to guarantee communications immediately and at all times. Statistical quality measurements are not good enough. Situations that are annoying in a commercial setting can be life threatening in a tactical situation.• Security in a commercial situation means protecting privacy, preventing identity theft, and protecting commercial transactions. Security in a tactical situation means preventing intrusions, preventing disclosure of classified information, enabling mission success, and thereby saving lives.The issues listed above are important individually, but they also feed on one another. In a commercial system, a Call Manager is somewhat like an orchestra conductor. The Call Manager facilitates individual VoIP phones holding a conversation but the point-to-point messages between the two phones do not go through the Call Manager. Many point-to-point calls are carried on the network simultaneously. The digitized voice messages share a common network, but each has one source and one destination. Each call or session continues until the parties decide to end the call. The Call Manager’s workload is driven by the rate at which calls are initiated and terminated. The Internet Engineering Working Group standards (Requests for Comments or RFCs) are built around these types of calls. Consider the tactical environment. The user of a tactical voice terminal may simultaneously monitor three radio nets and two internal Meet-Me nets for situational awareness. These nets do not have constant chatter but whenever anyone on any of these nets speaks, the speaker knows that all net members will hear the report. If someone on the same platform wants to reach the user by intercom, the intercom channel will join the monitor pool of the user without the user having to take any action. With all this going on, the user may at any time initiate a phone call, make an announcement, or actively talk on any of the nets without losing his monitoring capability. There is little similarity between this situation and that of a commercial VoIP system. Most of the calls are not point-to-point but have many members. Members may join and leave the call at will but the call does not break down because a member leaves. The voice instrument is involved in not one call at a time but many. It is a complex, dynamic system from both a control and a voice processing standpoint. The VoIP RFCs have nothing to say about these types of issues. This example is still an over-simplification of reality since we have not yet introduced security issues, restrictions on access to nets, control of external communication circuits, override, or graceful degradation in the face of casualties or battle damage.

Capture New Technology’s Benefits but Adhere to Tactical Requirements!

Tactical Communication Solution Briefs6

Tactical VoIP without compromising performance or securityL-3 has been supplying tactical communications systems for decades and accumulating detailed operational and technical knowledge. Market demand for tactical VoIP as soon as VoIP became commercially available is reminiscent of an earlier market that assumed commercial PBXs should be used to provide tactical services for military ships. In each case, commercial technology provides a base upon which to build but it does not provide tactical features or security. L-3 contracts through procurement agencies, but its systems are used by war fighters. The war fighters depend upon operational performance, reliability, and security. L-3 works closely with the procurement agencies to meet their technology desires and budgets while ensuring the robust performance needed by the war fighters.MarCom Integrated Voice System (IVCS) is a configurable set of hardware and software that provides users at integrated voice terminals, telephones, Net Jackboxes, and other terminals with access to tactical circuits, features, and services. The set of features and interfaces grows larger each year. It includes analog interfaces for radio circuits, Sound Powered telephones, Jackbox nets, announcing systems, speakers, shore lines, POTS analog phones, and specialty systems. It includes digital interfaces for telephones, voice recorders, announcing systems, and specialty systems. It includes digital trunks for interface to PBXs, US Navy Radio Communication Switches, satellite systems, shore lines, and specialty systems. Providing these services relies on MarCom IVCS Call Processing software (analogous to a Call Manager, but designed for tactical services) and specialized interface port circuitry that implements the combination of multi-channel monitoring, mixed security level, netting, and conferencing that is unique to tactical organizations.L-3 is now ready to support tactical voice services over IP networks retaining all the tactical features and robustness previously available only over a cable plant with home runs from each terminal to the switching system.

7

VoIP tactical terminals are a small part of a tactical voice systemThere is a tendency to think a tactical VoIP system consists primarily of a commercial IP network and custom tactical IP terminals. As the diagram illustrates, a tactical voice system in the real world has many disparate interfaces representing a variety of technologies and protocols. The magic of the system hardware and software is to mask all these interface differences from the users and provide them with intuitive access to all the services and features they need and for which they are authorized. Most of the services and features do not even show up in a diagram. Nets, conferences, multi-channel monitoring, security protections, and many more tactical services are critical but do not show up on an equipment-oriented diagram.

Tactical VoIP interoperates with administrative VoIP networkOn large tactical platforms, the majority of individuals are support personnel whose voice communication needs can be served by telephone instruments and administrative call services. MarCom IVCS makes it easy for the tactical and administrative personnel to seamlessly communicate with each other. L-3 offers two approaches to support commercial VoIP telephones and services. The embedded VoIP capability within MarCom IVCS allows direct networking of commercial VoIP phones managed by MarCom IVCS call processing. This approach provides a rich set of tactical features to the commercial VoIP phones.

For very large platforms such as aircraft carriers, some customers will prefer to utilize a purely administrative commercial PBX network for the majority of personnel. In this case, trunks between MarCom IVCS and the commercial PBXs allow complete interoperability. The commercial network might include a variety of telephones; Voice Mail and Call Attendant services; PSTN access through shore lines or satellite; and wireless handsets over a DECT/VoIP network. With this “hybrid” approach a commercial Call Manager administers these commercial networks and terminals. The trunking of these networks to MarCom IVCS not only allows calls between MarCom IVCS hosted terminals and other commercial terminals, but also provides access to the commercial terminals for many but not all tactical services such as nets and conferences.

Fully featured tactical terminals available with ISDN or IP interfacesIn addition to the KITE, a touchscreen tactical voice terminal using IP interfaces will soon be available. This new capability brings all the functionality exhibited by the KITE to a touchscreen terminal. Key features include:• Unlimited monitor channels • Active/Monitor approach to managing channels • True intercom, never busyIn addition, the flatscreen display lends itself to an ever increasing level of innovative functionality such as: • Displaying Symphony Excomm circuit information • Context-driven data such as current members of a net

L-3 Communication Systems-East 1 Federal Street, Camden NJ 08103 USA Tel: +1-856-338-6135 www.L-3Com.com/iCom iCom@L-3Com.com (Include “Tactical VoIP” in the subject line)

SB004R1 11/12

L-3 embraces IP technology within a robust tactical environmentThe approach L-3 has taken to the IP evolution is to embrace the benefits of IP networks as an advantageous transport and distribution methodology while recognizing that commercial VoIP protocols are insufficient to provide tactical communications. We therefore blend our robust integrated tactical communication system, now including IP tactical terminals and IP interfaces for Excomm circuits, with complete interoperability with commercial VoIP telephones and systems. This allows shipbuilders and integrators to make affordable, pragmatic decisions about both new construction and upgrades to communication systems. They do not have to commit to totally new systems. Tactical and administrative functions and features can be provided, operated, maintained, and upgraded with a wide range of technologies, protocols, and interfaces across the internal and external communication domains—all transparent to the operators. IP has arrived, but there will be many years of coexistence of old and new technologies. L-3 provides for a graceful and robust management of that long transition with superior performance throughout.

• A successful tactical voice communications system via IP has everything to do with understanding tactical organizations and the way they communicate. An organization which has demonstrated its ability to deliver successful tactical voice systems is a much better starting point than a commercial VoIP provider.• Many attempts to provide tactical voice based upon commercial VoIP building blocks have failed, due to the fundamental differences between how tactical and administrative organizations communicate.• Choosing a partner for a tactical communication system is a decision with long-term implications. L-3 will be there to support you for the life of the system.• With L-3 you do not have to choose between your old system and a totally IP system. You can mix and match or evolve. Your choice. Your system. L-3 can support you either way.

Why you should trust L-3 to support your tactical voice communications via IP

Retain existing approach to delivering tactical capability integrated with an IP terminal distribution network providing all existing MarCom IVCS call features.

Architecture built around large nets and multi-channel monitoring with non-blocking hardware summing.

Reduced packet size plus all nets and conferences created within MarCom IVCS tactical hardware.

Keep tactical network private. On application specific basis, use Type III session encryption and VLANs.

Requirements First, Technology Second

Point-to-Point vs. Netted Communications

Latency

Security

Focus Areas L-3 Approach Includes

8 Cleared for Public Domain Release by US Navy, Dated 11/21/2012, Reference Number iCom 09172012-1