A realistic roadmap for the introduction of dynamic spectrum management in military tactical radio communication

Cognitive radio (CR) technology has to date not been adopted by the military even though more than a decade has passed since its inception. This paper describes how cognitive radio and associated dynamic spectrum management (DSM) procedures can be introduced in military tactical radio communication. CR and DSM address key challenges that face future military tactical radio communication and their successful introduction can reduce or even overcome current spectrum scarcity and deployment difficulty. A DSM roadmap is introduced where military users develop trust in, and experience with, these novel technologies in manageable steps. The first step in this DSM roadmap involves the introduction of a military band dedicated for CRs and subsequent steps gradually increase the spectrum that may be utilized for military cognitive operation. A high-level vision of how existing military spectrum management procedures will change in the future with the introduction of DSM is also presented resulting in a significant reduction in the workload of spectrum management personnel.