Benefits of a Network Tasking Order in Combat Search and Rescue Missions

摘要

Networked communications play a crucial role in United States Armed Forces operations. As the military moves towards more network centric (Net- Centric) operations, it becomes increasingly important to use the network as effectively as possible with respect to the overall mission. This thesis advocates the use of Network Tasking Orders (NTOs), which allow operators to reason about the network based on asset movement, capabilities, and communication requirements. These requirements are likely to be derived from the Air Tasking Order (ATO), which gives insight into the plan for physical assets in a military mission. In this research, the author illustrates the benefit of an NTO in a simulation scenario that centers on communication in a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission. While demonstrating the CSAR mission, he assumes the use of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) for communication instead of current technology to mimic likely future communication configurations. His premise is that the knowledge in a NTO can be used to achieve better CSAR missions and yield better decision-making opportunities to mission commanders. He presents a scenario that hinges on the transmission of a critical image update from the headquarters to the survivor in the context of a CSAR mission. He attempts to transmit the image first with the aid of a NTO and then without the aid of a NTO under high- and low-traffic loads. The results show that the end-to-end delay with the aid of a NTO in high traffic conditions is shorter when compared to operations without the aid of a NTO, and bandwidth requirements also are lower. In low-traffic conditions, the end-to-end delay is shorter without the aid of a NTO, but at the cost of higher bandwidth utilization.