Laboratory evaluation of military radios and network architectures

As the ARMY prepares to deploy modern tactical networks in theater [1], there is an increasing need to ensure that radio systems will perform up to expectations before integrating them into emerging Army Capability Sets for Brigade tactical networks. Evaluating these radio systems before field deployments in a controlled laboratory setting provides a critical opportunity to establish baseline performance levels, as well as to identify and resolve design flaws and engineering bugs, long before they are encountered in the field. This paper discusses the role of the CERDEC S&TCD Radio Evaluation and Analysis Laboratory (REAL) in evaluating military radio networks, not only as black-box systems, but also as part of a larger tactical network consisting of a mix of radio systems. This testing has already become an important element of the Army's Agile Process, and has demonstrated its value many times over in preparing new technologies for operational experimentation in the Army's Network Integration Evaluations (NIE) taking place at Ft Bliss, TX.