Crucial Differences between Commercial and Military Communications Technology Needs: Why the Military Still Needs Its Own Research

Military establishments constitute a relatively much smaller part of the wireless communications market than they once did, and the commercial sector is now a primary driver of communications technology development. However, there are crucial differences between military and commercial communications needs, especially at the tactical edge. First, commercial wireless services depend on a well-maintained and reliable infrastructure, whereas military operations may require communications between mobile platforms and command posts in areas without such an infrastructure. Second, military communications tend to involve multihop networks, and the theoretical foundations of such networks are not as well established as those involving single pairwise links. Third, military communications can involve multiple heterogeneous networks operating in the same area. While commercial networks can also be heterogeneous, commercial systems do not need to deal with the same extent of temporal and spatial variability. Connecting across heterogeneous networks in a dynamic environment remains a significant challenge. Fourth, military systems must also deal with highly complex and contested electromagnetic environments. They must confront adversarial action such as jamming and electronic warfare, as well as the benign complexity arising from the proliferation of computers, sensors, and radios. They must deal with low and intermittent bandwidth. They must also contend with the continuing loss of spectrum previously dedicated to military use. If we combine all these factors with the more commonly observed ones such as the need for ruggedness, security, and stealth, we see that much research and development, unlikely to be undertaken by the commercial sector, is still needed in the area of military communications. While military establishments can and do make use of commercial technology, they will continue to require purpose-driven research and development.