Range Extension Techniques Available to the Army Tactical Communications Systems

The adoption of the Network Centric Warfare (NCW) philosophy for Land Force operations means that connectivity through networked communications, typically wireless for mobile operations, is of critical importance. The communications range of the radio equipment becomes a constraint in operational concepts and the degree of implementation of NCW. To overcome this range limitation a series of communications techniques covered by the broad title of range extension techniques' enable nodes to communicate within the battlespace through intermediary devices or phenomena. This paper seeks to identify and discuss the broad spectrum of tactical communications network range extension approaches and technologies available. As a result Army will be better informed in the development of communications architectures for deployed Land Force communications.