Spectrum Dominance: Providing Secure and EW Resilient Mesh Network Communications at the Tactical Edge
As the modern electromagnetic battlespace rapidly evolves, the stakes for robust and resilient tactical communications networks across mission-critical defense applications has never been higher. As near-peer adversaries continue to develop and deploy advanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, traditional radio systems have struggled to adapt to these new and unique operational challenges.
In the future fight, the warfighter’s ability to operate in congested and contested radio frequency (RF) spectrum environments and persist in the presence of adversarial interference and jamming has emerged as a critical need. In addition, the U.S. Department of Defense Joint All-Domain Command & Control (JADC2) strategy envisions empowering Joint Force Commanders with the capabilities needed to connect sensors to shooters across all warfighting domains, and throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, regardless of where the future battlespace may be.
Silvus Technologies’ Spectrum Dominance was purpose-built to meet these challenges, delivering next-generation Low Probability of Intercept/Low Probability of Detection (LPI/LPD) and Anti-Jamming (AJ) capabilities to the warfighter, enabling them to achieve decision dominance and communications superiority on the battlefield.
Silvus’ MIMO-enabled MANET technology value proposition is simple: higher throughput, longer ranges, scalability, and reliable, repeatable performance. With Spectrum Dominance, we’re guaranteeing that same level of performance in a contested EW environment.
Spectrum Dominance is an expansive suite of LPI/LPD and AJ capabilities that provide secure and EW-resilient mesh network communications at the tactical edge. Silvus’ Spectrum Dominance enables StreamCaster MANET radios (AN/PRC-169) and MN-MIMO waveform to thrive in congested and contested environments, empowering operators to achieve mission objectives even in the presence of multi-tiered electronic attacks.
Spectrum Dominance takes a layered approach to LPI/LPD concealment and AJ defense, forcing an adversary to penetrate all layers to disrupt communications. With Spectrum Dominance, every radio in the Silvus MN-MIMO mesh network performs real-time spectrum analysis and interference monitoring. Upon the detection of interference, Spectrum Dominance employs Anti-Jam resiliency techniques to mitigate electronic attack.
As an example, MANET Interference Cancellation (MAN-IC) utilizes multiple antennas to employ sophisticated spatial signal processing techniques to nullify the offending interfering signal, without suppressing one's own signal. Additionally, MANET Interference Avoidance (MAN-IA), automatically scans and monitors the RF spectrum for interference across multiple user-defined channels. At the onset of jamming, the entire network moves to the cleanest frequency without user intervention.
Silvus is the only tactical MANET provider that delivers Spectrum Dominance LPI/LPD and AJ capabilities without sacrificing range, throughput, or robustness – even under electronic attack.
The real-world use cases of Spectrum Dominance are well documented. Silvus StreamCaster MANET radios, MN-MIMO waveform, and Spectrum Dominance capabilities have been adopted across multiple U.S. Department of Defense branches, establishing Silvus as the leading tactical communications provider in support of key modernization programs.
As part of the Army’s Integrated Tactical Network – Capability Set 23, Silvus StreamCaster MANET radios were selected for deployment to Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs), creating a self-organizing mesh network designed to operate in multiple spectrum bands with Spectrum Dominance’s advanced interference avoidance and cancellation waveform capabilities. A critical component of achieving the Army’s Unified Network modernization objectives, the ITN is designed to provide a common operating environment (COE) for joint force mission coordination at the tactical edge and is a critical enabler of JADC2.
Silvus StreamCaster MANET radios with Spectrum Dominance capabilities were also recently selected for the U.S. Marine Corps Networking On-the-Move Mobile Communications System for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). As the first MANET radio added to the NOTM mobile communications system, Silvus StreamCaster 4400 MANET radios enable the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to access satellite communications, connect and network dispersed vehicles, airborne assets, and dismounted units through a protected and EW resilient communications architecture.
The complete suite of Spectrum Dominance capabilities is available to U.S. Government customers via firmware updates through downloadable licenses. Several of Silvus’ non-ITAR controlled Spectrum Dominance features are commercially available to all Silvus customers.
In addition to continuously improving existing Spectrum Dominance capabilities, Silvus is investing in AI and machine learning, to enable its StreamCaster radios to become a truly cognitive MANET radio, autonomously applying the appropriate Spectrum Dominance modes and techniques to optimize performance.
For more information on Spectrum Dominance, watch the videos below, visit the Silvus website, and follow us here on LinkedIn.