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Link 16 Operations in US&P at Risk

Mr. Russ Latimer

Deputy Division Chief, J65A

Joint Staff

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Outline

Issue

Background

Procedures

Responsibilities

Current Situation

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ISSUE: Failure to operate Link 16(1) in accordance with DoD Guidelines and in compliance with criteria mandated by NTIA and FAA could jeapordize DoD’s continued use of Link 16 within the United States and Possessions (US&P)

Link 16 operates in 960-1215 MHz band

960-1215 MHz band designated for Aeronautical Radionavigation

(1) Link 16 refers to the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), the Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS), and other systems

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Background

1978 – NTIA directs DoD and FAA to work together to assure spectrum access and ensure mutual compatibility between Link 16 and civil/commercial aeronautical radionavigation systems DoD operates Link 16 as a critical element of Command

and Control

FAA interest lies in protecting operations of civil/ commercial aeronautical radionavigation systems

• Identification Friend or Foe [IFF],

• Tactical Air Navigation [TACAN]

• Distance Measuring Equipment [DME]

2002 - DoD & FAA enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to ensure continued mutual spectrum access and compatible operations

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Procedures

CJCSI 6232.01D, “Link-16 Spectrum Deconfliction,” implements policy to ensure that Link-16 (JTIDS & MIDS) use is IAW with NTIA and MCEB Guidance

JTIDS/MIDS must not cause harmful interference to navigational aids

Within geographic and operational areas, local pulse densities cannot exceed assignment restrictions

• No more than 100 percent Time Slot / Duty Factor (TSDF) is permitted within a 100 nautical mile (nm) radius circle drawn around each JTIDS/MIDS terminal

• JTIDS/MIDS voice operations are allowed on up to two channels (time slot pools), subject to an overall geographic area TSDF calculation

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All JTIDS/MIDS activity must be coordinated through the JTIDS/MIDS Deconfliction Server (JDS)

JDS - an automated Internet-based system to support the coordination process within the US&P

Deconfliction Authority (DA) coordination and JDS entry is required even when complying with an existing permanent frequency assignment

The appropriate organizational Deconfliction Coordinators - or unit/staff planner - will make entries into the JDS prior to any JTIDS/MIDS operation.

Procedures (cont’d)

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UNCLASSIFIED Responsibilies

Joint Staff/DJ6, is assigned primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with pulse deconfliction restrictions

Joint Staff will: Serve as final DA when deconfliction cannot be

achieved at a lower level

Specify, when necessary, the JTIDS/MIDS DA for joint/combined JTIDS/MIDS operations

Monitor execution of policy to ensure pulse deconfliction restrictions are met by JTIDS/MIDS equipped units

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Combatant Commands, Services, and Defense Agencies (C/S/A) shall:

Ensure subordinate commands using JTIDS/MIDS terminals have adequate guidance and resources to deconflict operations at the lowest level possible

Assign Deconfliction Coordinators as required - coordinator assignments should be made to maximize efficiency in deconflicting training events and to eliminate the possibility of uncoordinated operations occurring

Responsibilies (Cont’d)

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Current Situation

Indications are that all Link 16 Operations NOT scheduled through the JDS (in fact many operations not scheduled)

FAA has access to JDSUnscheduled (i.e., un-deconflicted) operations exceed

the TSDF limits and are in violation of OSD/FAA MOAContinuation of unscheduled Link 16 operations could

result in termination of DoD’s ability to operate Link 16

YOUR ROLE: Make your organizational leadership aware of the requirements for Link 16 operations and the ramifications of failure to schedule via the JDS

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Backup

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960-1215 MHz Band

Band 960-1215 MHz allocated for Aeronautical Radionavigation (with 1164-1215 MHz also allocated Radionavigation-satellite)

Radionavigation: Radiodetermination used for the purposes of navigation, including obstruction warning.

Radiodetermination: The determination of the position, velocity and/or other characteristics of an object, or the obtaining of information relating to these parameters, by means of the propagation properties of radio waves.

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TSDF Limitations

The total JTIDS/MIDS community within a geographic area defined in paragraph 2 shall be limited to a 100 percent effective TSDF[1], that is 396,288 pulses per 12 seconds (1536 time slots with 258 pulses per time slot).

The geographic area limitation for the 100 percent TSDF utilization shall be a radius of 185 kilometers (100 nautical miles). Thus if a circle with a 185 kilometer radius is constructed around any JTIDS/MIDS terminal, the effective TSDF resulting from the summed transmitted time slots for all the JTIDS/MIDS terminals within the circle cannot exceed a pulse limit of 396,288 pulses during any 12 second “Time Frame” interval.

Any JTIDS/MIDS terminal shall be limited to a 50 percent effective TSDF (198,144 pulses per 12 second “Time Frame” interval)

[1] TSDF is defined in the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 6232.01A