| DOD Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANETs) are intended to provide edge user access to the Global Information Grid (GIG) as well as local battlefield communications in an infrastructureless environment. There is an inherent tension between these goals, since ubiquitous access to the GIG suggests the use of general-purpose (presumably Internet-based) protocols whereas the constraints and challenges of battlefield network point to customized designs such as those embodied in the well-established EPLRS “waveform”. This tension is clearly evidenced in current debates about waveforms such as SRW and WNW, where it is unclear whether or not specialized network support for voice should be offered (SRW solution involving dedicated timeslots and a custom programming API) or whether voice really is just another form of general-purpose data (WNW solution based more generally on Internet Protocols with QOS support). Clearly, the extremes of general-purpose networking and battlefield networking have not yet been reconciled in MANET architectures and protocol design. There is however another alternative, namely, to deploy protocols that are both general-purpose and powerful enough to accommodate the requirements of tactical edge users. This talk will describe both specific MANETworking challenges and recent breakthroughs that point the way toward a superior next-generation MANET capability. |