NetSim Military Communication

Modelling and Simulation for Defence Communications

NetSim supports the unique simulation requirements of the defense community, including R&D of network protocols and architectures crucial to military communication networks. It is used by defense organizations, government agencies, and the military to model complex, dynamic tactical networks and predict communication network performance in the theater of operations.

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs)

MANETs refer to a family of routing protocols developed to route traffic through mobile wireless networks. These networks place special requirements on routing protocols due the unpredictable nature of the radio links and changing network topology due to node mobility. NetSim can be used to simulate multi-hop bandwidth constrained MANETs

Capabilities

  • Wireless Planning: Evaluate end-to-end performance metrics such as connectivity, signal quality, network formation time, throughput, latency, and error.
  • Radio Types: Hand-held, Manpack, Vehicular (AFV, ICV), Naval (Ship), and Airborne (Aircraft, Drone, Missile) radios.
  • Battlefield Communications: Simulate voice, image, video, situational awareness, command & control messages, and data transmissions over VHF, UHF, L-Band, S-Band radios with various wireless waveforms.
  • Analysis tools: Overall performance summaries, Detailed statistics, Plots of metrics over time, Route tracing, Radio measurements and Diagnostics

Network Layer

  • Multi-hop Ad hoc Routing Protocols: OLSR, AODV, DSR, ZRP
  • Multiple MANETs: Interconnect orthogonal MANETs

Datalink Layer

  • TDMA: Link 16 based Time Division Multiple Access.
  • Dynamic TDMA (DTDMA): User-defined slot allocation via a GUI slot planner or algorithmically
  • Variable slot size and guard time
  • Dynamic node participation: Nodes can join or leave the network in runtime.

PHY Layer

  • Frequency Range: VHF, UHF, L-Band, S-Band.
  • Single channel, narrowband or wideband, with user-configurable bandwidth.
  • Waveform Modulation: GMSK, BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, CPM, MSK.
  • Waveform Code Rates: 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6.
  • User configurable transmit power from 0.1W to 100W.
  • Model RF propagation using range-based reachability or simulate signal attenuation using detailed pathloss, fading, and shadowing models
  • Interface with external tools for terrain modelling

Mobility

  • Models: File-based custom patterns, Random Walk, Random waypoint, Pedestrian, Group mobility
  • Movement in all 3 dimensions
  • Speeds up to 2000 km/hr

Single-band Jammer

  • The Jammer in NetSim DTDMA module is a single-band device that generates interference in the network, lowering the SINR and potentially causing packet errors.
  • It does not participate in communication like regular nodes and is modelled purely as an interference source.
  • The Jammer’s On and Off times can be customized, allowing multiple On/Off intervals during the simulation.
  • Its interference range can be set to either a fixed distance or based on the network's pathloss model.
  • Interference occurs when the Jammer’s frequency overlaps with the transmitter’s frequency, and the power of interference depends on the overlap and range model.

Antenna Models in TDMA

NetSim’s TDMA library supports Omni-Directional, Sector Antennas and External Antenna patterns

Omni-Directional Antennas

  • Radiates equally in all directions with a 0 dB gain, ideal for uniform coverage in all directions.

Sector Antennas

  • Uses a 2D parabolic pattern to focus signals in a specific direction, ideal for directed communication with configurable beamwidth, gain, and front-to-back ratio.
  • The gain is calculated using the angles between the transmitter and receiver, considering their orientations and distances.
  • For Sector Antennas, gain is computed using a horizontal radiation formula, factoring in the boresight angle and customizable parameters.

External Antenna patterns through CSV files

NetSim supports the use of external antenna patterns, where the gain values are explicitly provided by the user in a CSV file. This file must contain gain values corresponding to azimuth angles Phi (φ) ranging from 0 to 360 degrees. This method allows the use of measured or predefined antenna patterns in the simulation.

During simulation

  • The Phi angle between the transmitter and receiver is computed based on their X-Y coordinates and antenna orientation directions as explained above in the 2D Parabolic pattern.
  • The gain value is then determined by looking up the CSV file.
  • The gain corresponding to the highest Phi (φ) in the table that is less than or equal to the calculated Phi is selected.
  • This process is applied separately for both the transmitter and the receiver.

Customization

  • NetSim comes with protocol source code, which users can modify to develop custom protocols.

Related Pages

Application: Manpack UHF Radios
Application: MANET Vehicular Radios
Application: Airborne Tactical Data Links