Defense ⋆ GuardStack - Augmenting Critical Communication

Defense

Information exchange and enhanced situational awareness for faster and fact based decision making is fundamental to any missions success.

GuardStack Software Suite has been specifically designed to address the most stringent communications and information sharing requirements armed forces are facing at the tactical edge.
GuardStack ensures information exchange in classified security domains, interoperability with tactical radios, ease of use and network mobility using government open source code to meet national security standards.

Combat Communication

Whether it be combat, peacekeeping support or humanitarian aid/disaster relief operations, armed forces depend upon enhanced levels in situation awareness in order to enable rapid decision-making. Initially designed to meet the requirements of the commercial market, broadband communication networks including 4G and 5G provide armed forces with the means to significantly enhance situational awareness. GuardStack has been specifically designed to bridge gaps between commercially available communications infrastructures and military networks in order to satisfy the most stringent operational requirements for communications at the tactical edge.

The video shows a live demonstration of GuardStack as IP based network oriented open transport infrastructure.

Digitalization of Land-Based Operations (D-LBO)

The aim of the “Digitalization of Land-Based Operations” (D-LBO) program is to provide IT and communication services for networked operations management in the area of mobile infrastructure.

This requires an information and communication network that starts at the lowest tactical level with the dismounted soldier and is connected to the core network of the Bundeswehr IT system at the level of the command post that can be deployed.

Key features

Group Key Method without a Centralized Key Coordinator

Secure Mesh- Flow/SDN for Self-forming MANET

Embedded 4G EPC / 5GC

Blue Force Tracking

Secured Service Domain Seperation

Integrated VoIP PBX

Decentralized Push-to-Talk (PTT) and Video

Tactical Radio Interoperability

Open Transport & Radio Access Architecture

Possible Use-Cases

Enhanced situational awareness at the tactical edge

Being part of a rapid response team, a soldier is called up for an urgent mission and immediately disconnects the Skype call with his family. While he is getting prepared for the mission, he inserts a secret HW element into his smartphone, enabled by GuardStack. The phone automatically switches to ‘Combat Mode’- a secure environment which contains all required applications and information for the mission.

After leaving the base, the tactical operation center is able to share intelligence and video feeds with the soldiers in their vehicles as well as tracking the vehicles using GuardStack’s embedded blue force tracking system.

Guardstack’s tactical core automatically selects another transmission medium with a better range (legacy VHF) to maintain voice communications as the end of the 4G / 5G coverage zone is reached.

Maritime Broadband services

A Coast Guard Squadron is using GuardStack to provide an independent off-shore communication infrastructure. The Squadron consists of a patrol vessel acting as tactical node in the network; multiple response boats; and a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), all of which require communications at the tactical edge.

The offshore patrol vessel locates a suspicious boat several miles offshore and requires further information in order to make a positive identification. With communications protected against interception and disruption, the boats and the patrol vessel are utilizing GuardStack’s embedded Push-to-Talk and Video technology to communicate and share information with each other. Upon confirmation that the suspect boat is carrying illegal substances, a maritime interdiction is conducted and crew fingerprints are recorded and transmitted via GuardStack enabled long range transmission technology to the Coast Guard headquarters ashore to be crosschecked with criminal records.

GuardStack Unified Soldier System

The infantryman plays a central role in today’s complex military operations. As enemies are actively deploying cyber and electronic warfare it is absolutely essential that NATO members remain well-informed of the latest technology developments and capabilities, while maintaining existing field-proven tactical communication methods.

The four key pillars
for communication at the tactical edge

GuardStack’s Software Suite has been specifically designed to address the 4 most stringent communications requirements for the tactical egde.

Interoperability

Communication and information exchange at the tactical edge requires interoperability between various available access and transmission technologies in the lowest available Size, Weight and Power (SWaP).

GuardStack provides the secure middleware, connecting innovative and emerging broadband technologies such as 4G/5G with tactical radio communication technology such as long range VHF and UHF.
Provided services are automatically adjusted to available technology and capacity.
A secure Smart Phone acts as common control element for the dismounted soldier.

Self-Organization / Self-Healing

Communication networks for the tactical edge can not be planned in advance. The network must be very dynamic, following the mission without manual interaction.

Every GuardStack platform node senses and discovers nearby nodes and transmission capabilities. The node continuously and dynamically adapts to the everchanging network topology at the tactical edge. The platform choses the optimal path and provisions available services according to available access and transmission capacity.

Classified Security Domains

Information at the tactical edge requires stringent security measures but existing proprietary solutions prevent innovation, introduction of emerging broadband technology and economy of scale.

GuardStack Security enables multiple classified, end-to-end service domains, independent from the underlying transmission network and indepent of connectivity to central authentication servers, which are mostly unreachable from the tactical edge.

Network and User Mobility

Standard commercial networks are static and based on hierarchical archicture. Network mobility is typically referred to end-user mobility. Tactical networks on the other hand are often on the move, wether nodes are rapidly deployed, installed and operated on vehicles or airborne. All nodes and clients are constantly moving during the mission and require a fluent and self-healing mesh network.

GuardStack enables the communication network itself to be fully mobile. Seamless service continuity and end-user mobility between independent network entities (including Cellular technology) are enabled by GuardStack MeshFlow.

The Stacks

The Stacks synergize with each other seamlessly, enabling the users to carry out their operational duties as effectively and efficiently as possible. This eliminates the need for complicated and costly integration of 3rd party solutions.

Application

RIDUX offers a trusted, isolated virtual environment for fast integration of 3rd party applications. The embedded default Application "RIDUX COLLABORATION" features a common, intuitive and universal interface for all end-user services.

Security

RIDUX Security offers end-to-end classified information exchange over unclassified transmission networks and multi-level security domains with "red" and "black" separation. A Group key method without a centralized key coordinator enables MANET operations at the tactical edge.

Platform

RIDUX provides a secure, interoperable and self-controlled digital end-to-end service middleware for highly mobile and dynamic communication services. It is vendor agnostic and contains embedded cellular 4G and 5G SA functions.

Management

XONITOR offers an all-in-one, multi-vendor network administration and monitoring tool providing holistic situational awareness over complex heterogenous networks in a simplified operations view.

Defense

Combat Communication

Digitalization of Land-Based Operations (D-LBO)

Key features

Possible Use-Cases