Tactical Network
Modeling and Simulation Study
Swapnaja Ranade
Michael Stephano
Agenda




Scenario description
Network model
Results and analysis
Conclusions
Problem Statement

Observe relationship between physical
layer parameters and network layer
parameters for a tactical network.
Approach

Model a highly mobile tactical network in
OPNET and observe parameters through
simulation.
Network Topology and Scale

2 M1A2 tank companies



28 total nodes
20 minute simulation duration
4.5 km x 4.0 km playbox
Company Hierarchy
1st Platoon
2nd Platoon
3rd Platoon
HQ
Battle Phase
March Phase
Alpha Company
Bravo Company
Radio Propagation






1 W transmission power
Omni-directional antenna
Antenna height of 3 meters
DTED terrain data used
TIREM4 propagation model
Data rate used is 11Mbps
Network Protocols Used




802.11b
AODV
IP
Represented by OPNET MANET node
model
Mobility Model

M1A2 Characteristics




30 mph mean speed
17 mph 10% slope
4.1 mph 60% slope
MATLAB Model



Incorporates DTED data
Speed linearly interpolated based on slope
MATLAB was used to generate trajectory files
Simulation Metrics Collected

Physical Layer



Received Power
SNR
BER
 Network Layer
 Throughput
 Delay
 Packet Loss Ratio
OPNET Demo
Traffic Model




Position Updates
Sensor Updates
VoIP Traffic
Other Traffic
Packet Tx/Rx Rate
Data Collected
Time
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
15.0
16.0
17.0
18.0
19.0
Power
1.5170e-09
1.7490e-09
2.0140e-09
2.2980e-09
2.6500e-09
3.1420e-09
3.7640e-09
4.3330e-09
4.8420e-09
5.4510e-09
6.1950e-09
8.1250e-09
1.2111e-08
1.9789e-08
3.8793e-08
5.6273e-08
5.8653e-08
3.6067e-08
2.3554e-08
1.6607e-08
SNR
41.3
38.8
39.8
39.1
39.4
39.6
39.7
39.9
40.0
40.1
43.5
43.8
42.3
40.4
40.7
42.7
43.8
41.0
38.7
37.9
BER
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.10e-11
0
2.20e-11
4.20e-11
0
1.19e-10
6.75e-10
0
0
0
0
1.20e-11
0
Throughput
3.5738e+05
7.3606e+05
1.1087e+06
1.1307e+06
1.1183e+06
1.1235e+06
1.1168e+06
1.1325e+06
1.1132e+06
1.0724e+06
1.0481e+06
1.0414e+06
1.2502e+06
1.1259e+06
1.1313e+06
1.1161e+06
1.1164e+06
1.1186e+06
1.1191e+06
1.1302e+06
Latency
6.8342e-03
4.5720e-03
1.1524e-02
5.5088e-03
5.6622e-03
5.6514e-03
5.6525e-03
5.4484e-03
5.6375e-03
9.8462e-03
3.1363e-02
4.6925e-02
1.3544e-01
5.7345e-03
5.9660e-03
6.1210e-03
5.9077e-03
5.9030e-03
6.4405e-03
6.0194e-03
PLR
3.0769e-02
1.9084e-02
1.4566e-02
8.0000e-03
5.3814e-03
4.5524e-03
3.3827e-03
2.5316e-03
2.3791e-03
6.9111e-03
1.3079e-02
2.0159e-02
9.9167e-03
9.0520e-03
8.4907e-03
8.0972e-03
7.6680e-03
7.5138e-03
6.8883e-03
6.5212e-03
Covariance Matrix
x
y
z
a
b
c
x
y
z
a
b
c
σx2
Cxy
Cxz
Cxa
Cxb
Cxc
σy2
Cyz
Cya
Cyb
Cyc
σz2
Cza
Czb
Czc
σa2
Cab
Cac
σb2
Cbc
σc2
Correlation Matrix
x
y
z
a
b
c
x
y
z
a
b
c
1.0
rxy
rxz
rxa
rxb
rxc
1.0
ryz
rya
ryb
ryc
1.0
rza
rzb
rzc
1.0
rab
rac
1.0
rbc
1.0
Correlation Expectations
Prx
SNR
BER
Tput
Latency
PLR
Prx
SNR
BER
Tput
Latency
PLR
1.0
+
-
+
-
-
1.0
-
+
-
-
1.0
-
+
+
1.0
-
-
1.0
+
1.0
Correlation Matrix
Based on OPNET Sim Data
Prx
SNR
BER
Tput
Latency
PLR
Prx
SNR
BER
Tput
Latency
PLR
1.0
0.5512
-0.0868
0.2597
-0.1292
-0.3624
1.0
-0.4596
0.3374
-0.1906
-0.3843
1.0
0.0566
-0.0359
0.1035
1.0
-0.4851
-0.8758
1.0
-0.4573
1.0
Linear Regression (Native Units)
Power vs. Packet Loss Ratio
y = mx + b
m = -2.48 x 106
b = 0.0935
Linear Regression (Z Scores)
Power vs. Packet Loss Ratio
y = mx + b
m = -0.3624
b=0
Linear Regression
SNR vs. Throughput
y = mx + b
m = 9.62 x 103
b = 5.41 x 105
Linear Regression
Throughput vs. Packet Loss Ratio
y = mx + b
m = 9.62 x 103
b = 5.41 x 105
OPNET Model Issues
Discovered By Analysis

SNR model



Mathematical issue
Correctable in OPNET with modifications
BER model


Inadequate OPNET modulation curves
Correctable in OPNET with modifications
Modulation Curve
Produced Analytically
BER 
 Eb 
1

erfc

2
 N0 
r = -0.5621
Conclusions

Correlation analysis



Regression analysis


Power and SNR exhibit fairly strong
correlation to network parameters
Low BER correlation due to model, not real
effect
Useful but of limited utility
Choosing appropriate physical layer data
References





G. Kelsch, M. Roberts, and D. Harris. Toward New Tactical Network
Modeling and Simulation Approaches. In IEEE Military Communications
Conference, pages 2396-2401 Vol. 4, October 2005.
United States Army Field Manual. FM 17-15 Tank Platoon. April 1996.
M.J. Ryan and M.R. Frater. Tactical Communications for the Digitized
Battlefield. Artech House, Norwood, MA, 2002.
S.K. Kachigan. Multivariate Statistical Analysis: A Conceptual Introduction,
2nd Edition. Radius Press, New York, NY, 1991.
General Dynamics M1A2 Abrams Specifications Sheet.