Defence spectrum use Changing technologies and applications

1. Defence spectrum use Changing technologies and applications CAPT Paul Scott, RAN Chief Information Officer Group Department of Defence

2. Overview • Chief Information Officer Group Organisation • Defence spectrum requirements • Defence spectrum sharing • Challenges for Defence • International experience • Conclusions

3. ICT Operations Division • Responsible for delivery of the Defence Single Information Environment: • global end to end capability including the provision of: • satellite communications • electromagnetic spectrum • networks to support military operations

4. Defence need for spectrum • Sensors • Threat detection requirements • Increased use in battlespace (e.g. Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar C-RAM mission) • Communications • Voice, Data and Video (e.g. UAV impact) • Network Centric Warfare • Weapons • Force Protection • Increased use in battlespace (e.g. Counter-Improvised Explosive Device C-IED) • Spectrum dominance; at Defence’s time, place and frequency of choice

5. Electronic Warfare (EW) “8.16 Understanding, controlling and shaping the electromagnetic spectrum has become increasingly important to winning on the modern battlefield. Advanced systems will provide improved protection and advantages for our forces by jamming, suppressing or otherwise denying an adversary the full use of the electromagnetic spectrum.” Defence White Paper 2013, page 77 Defence White Paper

6. Air • F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) • Fifth generation fighter • Advanced electronic warfare capabilities • Highly advanced Communication, Navigation and Identification (CNI) suite • Active, Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar • enables sophisticated electronic attack capabilities • allows F-35 to operate without dedicated electronic attack aircraft support

7. Air • Advanced Data Links • high-data-rate, directional comms link • can serve as a communications gateway for various other platforms (eg providing shared operational picture) • Sophisticated usage of EM spectrum • Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology • reduced hardware requirements • highly configurable

8. Sea • S-band phased array radar • AN/SPY-1D(V) – Air Warfare Destroyer • CEAFAR – ANZAC Class (FFH) Frigate Anti-Ship Missile Defence Upgrade • High power, medium to long range surveillance • Radars provide • air defence for: • accompanying ships • land forces • infrastructure in coastal areas • self-protection against missiles and aircraft

9. Land • Radios developed under the US Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program being introduced into the ADF • Software-defined • Wide tuning range • Can be reconfigured to support different modulation and coding schemes (waveforms) • For example: Harris AN/PRC-117G • 30–2,000 MHz • Applications • Narrowband voice • Streaming video eg from UAV • Narrowband satcom • Text messaging

10. Sharing is a reality Radio TV 88 400 30 230 520 MHz Military VHF Military UHF GPS Wi Fi Link-16 TV 900 2.5 GHz 700 520 2100 3600 MHz 850 1800 3.5 GHz 2.3 GHz L-Band Radar S-Band Radar Telemetry Defence Licensed Mobile Phones / Wireless Broadband Defence shares with other users Other Civilian Uses Broadcasting

11. Future developments • Major Defence capability systems designed to be in-service for 30 years or more • Mid-life upgrades are often difficult and costly • Contrasts with modern commercial communications technologies which can see generational change every 5 years • Conventional capabilities remain vital and will require ongoing access to spectrum • HF communications • VHF combat-net radios • Aeronautical navigation systems and radars • X and Ka-band SATCOM • Defence systems will increasingly leverage commercial technologies, but will continue to lead where required by military-specific applications

12. International comparisons • Similar challenges faced by militaries worldwide • Australia shares similarities with US and UK; however there are important differences: • Key bands for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) • 2.3 GHz • 3.5 GHz • US, UK militaries have significant access • In Australia, Defence has no special access rights – these bands have been available for IMT for many years • Creates challenges for Defence requirements to access spectrum in the 2–4 GHz “sweet spot” for applications such as • UAV data links • Video • Telemetry • Spectrum sharing innovations are a focus for organisations such the US Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) • http://www.darpa.mil/spectrumchallenge/ • But the leap from proof of concept to in-service in the US, let alone the ADF can be extremely difficult

13. Conclusions • Defence spectrum requirements are growing • New technologies and requirements for data exchange • eg JSF • Capability upgrades and interoperability requirements driving ADF closer to allies in terms of spectrum requirements • US in particular • Sharing isn’t easy • Requires • More detailed data on requirements and use • Additional management overhead • Defence is working to build its spectrum management capabilities • Increases resilience of ADF capability • May open opportunities for sharing • Can not rely on technology alone • Spectrum regulatory framework will need to evolve to facilitate greater levels of sharing • Cooperation necessary to ensure access meets the requirements of all users