Highly-Dynamic Cross-Layered Aeronautical Network Architecture

Abstract

Highly-dynamic wireless environments present unique challenges to end-to-end communication networks, caused by the time-varying connectivity of high-velocity nodes combined with the unreliability of the wireless communication channel. Such conditions are found in a variety of networks, including those used for tactical communications and aeronautical telemetry. Addressing these challenges requires the design of new protocols and mechanisms specific to this environment. We present a new domain-specific architecture and protocol suite, including cross-layer optimizations between the physical, MAC, network, and transport layers. This provides selectable reliability for multiple applications within highly mobile tactical airborne networks. Our contributions for this environment include the transmission control protocol (TCP)-friendly transport protocol, AeroTP; the IP-compatible network layer, AeroNP; and the geolocation aware routing protocol AeroRP. Through simulations we show significant performance improvement over the traditional TCP/IP/MANET protocol stack.