Hastily Formed Networks
(HFN):
Activities and Opportunities
Brian Steckler, Director NPS HFN Center
http://www.hfncenter.org
Unclassified Information Brief
ONR MURI Kickoff
28 JUL 08
Brian Steckler
Research Agenda: wireless terrestrial and satellite communications for
humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, surveillance, and targeting. Comms
interoperability, information sharing, and situational awareness in austere
environments.
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Information Sciences Dept & Cebrowski Institute, NPS
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Director, NPS Hastily Formed Networks Center
Arrived February 2002
Naval Postgraduate School: Masters, Information
Technology Mgmt, 1992-1994
University of Washington: BA Business Administration 1987
U.S. Navy Retired Officer 1976-1995
Industry:
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Founder/President Universal Internet 1995-2002, Business class
ISP, software engineering and e-commerce solution provider.
Today’s Agenda
• HFNs Defined
• NPS HFN Related Recent Activities
• One Illustrative Example HFN
• MURI Opportunities/Relevance
–network-centric operations
–Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief
(HA/DR)
HFNs and Network Science
• Happening NOW !
– Layered networks: comms, operational/social, financial, logistics
– Ad hoc really means AD HOC !
– Evolving in real time, with high stakes
– We ought to be informed by real world operations
• Visibility and access via NPS HFN work
– Opportunities for measurement, analysis and experimentation
• Limited understanding of how these networks really work
– Structure and function, dynamics, objectives, and constraints ?
– A little insight could go a long way……
Is there a network “architecture” for HFNs ?
HFN Defined…..
• An HFN Consists of Five Elements:
– a network of people or technologies established rapidly
– from different communities,
– working together in a shared “conversation space”,
– in which they plan, commit to, and execute actions to
– fulfill a large urgent mission.
HFN Concept by Dr Peter Denning,
NPS Cebrowski Institute Executive Director
Aspects of
Conversation Space
• Physical
– communication systems
– meeting places
– distribution systems
• Community
– players and organizations
• Practices
– rules of interaction and coordination
Past/Present NPS HFN Activities
Net-Centric Ops
• Trident Warrior (07-08)
– US Navy’s Major Annual
Experimentation Exercise
• Golden Phoenix (07-08)
– DOD/DHS Joint Radio
Interoperability Exercise (LA
07, SD 08)
• COASTS (07-08)
– Coalition Operating Area
Surveillance/Targeting
Systems Program for wireless
field experiments in SE Asia
HA/DR
• SE Asian Tsunami (Jan-May 05)
• Hurricane Katrina (Sep-Oct 05)
• USNS Mercy Humanitarian
Mission to SE Asia (Summer 06)
• USNS Comfort Latin/South
America Humanitarian Mission
(Summer 07)
• Myanmar - Cyclone Nargis
(Summer 08)
Practical Physical HFN
THE HFN
PUZZLE…
Surrounded
by the CivilMilitary
Boundary...
…..and
Improvisation !!
http://www.hfncenter.org
Comms in Hurricanes,
Earthquakes, etc…..
• The Problems:
– No power
– No fiber/copper infrastructure
– No push-to-talk comms to speak of
– Cellular svc mostly jammed / overwhelmed
– SatPhone svc mostly jammed / overwhelmed
– Not enough satellite eqpt suites available
– No Internet access (web, email, VOIP)
– No technical people resources available
HFNs - A Viable Comms
Solution…..
• The HFN Puzzle Pieces
– SATCOM Internet Reachback
– 802.11 (WiFi) and 802.16 (WiMax)
– Broadband Internet, Web, Email
– Voice Over IP (basic dial-tone)
– Skype (free internet phone)
– Groove (collaboration solution)
Network Infrastructure
Hancock Medical
Center
Law Enforcement EOC
Relief
Distribution
Center
Bay St Louis Fire &
Police Station
Waveland
Police Station
Relief
Distribution
Center
NPS DET 1 NETWORK
Tachyon Satellite
802.16 Wireless
802.11 Wireless
223rd ENG BATT DET
Cooperative Operations and Applied
Science & Technology Studies
(COASTS) 2008+
• Assessment of emerging C4ISR technologies applicable to maritime,
littoral, law enforcement, first responder, and security missions: Sensors
for tracking targets in littoral scenarios
• Quickly configurable, secure, low cost, test bed for assessment of specific
technologies, components and/or systems solutions (COTS wireless
networks)
• Real-time, net-centric information management for improved situational
awareness
• Various UAV platforms for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
mission suitability
• Investigate/match participant mission needs with integrated C4ISR
solutions in domestic, bi-lateral and multi-national environments
Cooperative Operations and Applied
Science & Technology Studies
(COASTS) 2008+
Scenarios
• Phase 1: Humanitarian Assistance
– Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF), Royal Thai Navy (RTN) & NPS
• Phase 2: Force Protection / Base Security
– RTAF & NPS
• Phase 3: Oil Pipeline Security
– RTN & NPS
Ongoing NPS HFN Research
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HFNs that Enable or Enhance…..
– Noncombatant Evacuation Ops (NEO) Tracking
– Patient / Victim / Body Tracking Systems
• What will we do if we have 500,000 or 1 million victims ?!
– Comms from Ship to Ship and Ship to Shore - US and International
CanEMIO,
weHA/DR,
makeTactical
sense
of the inherent
including
Operations
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Voice Radio Interoperability – DoD, DHS/FEMA/Nat’l Guard, Others
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More US / International HA/DR Opportunities:
Can we develop explanatory models?
– Upcoming missions on US Warships & Hospital Ships in PACOM and
AFRICOM AOR’s, Joint US/Coalition Partner Navy Exercises, the Next
Real-World Disaster
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complexity in these network systems?
Ultimate objective: design of robust
Smaller Form Factor Comms Suites, VSAT Internet Reachback, Alternate
networks
andAwareness
operations
Power Sources, Shared
Situational
(Focus on POWER, LIFT,
COMMS)
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Mobile device integration into HA/DR and/or Homeland Defense
Applications
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Working More Effectively at the Civil Military Boundary
QUESTIONS ?
Brian Steckler, Director,
NPS Hastily Formed Networks Center
http://www.hfncenter.org
steckler@nps.edu or 831.656.3837