Research Summaries

Back CYBER/RF MILDEC in Naval Operations

Fiscal Year 2019
Division Research & Sponsored Programs
Department NPS Naval Research Program
Investigator(s) Balogh, Imre L.
Fitzpatrick, Christian R.
Maule, Randy W.
Sponsor NPS Naval Research Program (Navy)
Summary Signal deception and counter-deception are critical components of cyber, electronic and information warfare. In FORCENet Sea Trials the PI implemented data collection and management technologies for signal characterization, data analysis and cyber automation. Supporting NPS thesis provided case studies of DRFM on Aegis, EW techniques in A2AD environments, and cyberattack characterization for ship embedded systems. However, when FORCENet Sea Trials concluded, the Navy resumed the status quo and is currently without appropriate analytic tools for integrated Cyber/RF/EW.

Signal capture integrated with cyber management can help blue force command better address red force adversaries and counter EW and IW initiatives. A common problem we experienced during FORCENet Sea Trials was the presence of uninvited signal capture--which regularly caused us to abort RF experiments. This project will advance an integrated Cyber/RF “curtain” to shield battlegroups and secondarily enable the imposition of A2AD on an adversary.

In sum, this project will extend previous naval cyber and EW research through a signal deception feasibility study to identify capabilities and limitations of current cyber and RF deception systems. A signal architecture will be designed to: (a) capture the RF and network "footprint" of a ship; (b) replay and manipulate signals and data within that footprint to confuse an adversary; (c) measure and simulate live adversary probes and blue force countermeasures; and (d) model a shield for battle groups.

Research Questions: What capabilities in industry spectrum tooling support naval Cyber/EW/IW signal management? What is the optimal architecture for cyber/EW deception to conceal activity and create uncertainty? Are integrated Cyber/RF technologies sufficient to create an electronic “curtain”? Is a single UxV with Cyber/EW/IW tooling sufficient to deceive an adversary? Are multiple UxV sufficient to shield a battlegroup from EW attacks? Impose A2AD?
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Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal