Transport Agnostic Communication Platforms (TACP)

For more information on this capability please visit ADYTON.IO link

Transport Agnostic Communication Platforms (TACP) abstracts data transfer from hardware & network constraints to enable teams in austere environments to deliver secure, adaptive communications across military, indigenous & non-standard networks.

Discovery & Framing - what is the problem & why it matters to the warfighter?

SOF soldiers are trained to be adaptive and think on their feet, making use of all available resources across a wide range of missions and operational environments

Historically, however, the DoD has applied a rigid and outdated network-centric posture toward security requirements.

This mindset drove an incrementalist approach to new capability integration; when we have a new requirement, we buy a new piece of hardware. That piece of hardware goes in a rucksack.

After decades of this approach - and as much-needed pieces of new technology are added - the SOF soldier’s rucksack has become both the integration point and the limiting factor for fielding of new capabilities.

Rather than enhance the SOF operator’s ability to respond in any operational environment, we have handcuffed our personnel with outdated constraints and overburdened them with a set of tools that do not work well enough, do not work well together and do not allow us to work effectively with our partners.

We are asking you to THINK DIFFERENTLY about the current situation - to use design thinking to address the root cause of the problem, rather than merely treating the symptoms.

We do this by deploying modern technology best practices to eliminate complexity and simplify the fundamental integration challenges that our SOF operators must endure within the current paradigm of network- & rucksack-constrained comms.

We begin with a modernized mindset toward security requirements. For far too long, cryptography has been relegated to after-thought status - something we add on later through another piece of hardware or avoid altogether so long as we connect to the correctly colored cable.

With Adyton’s approach, we are able to deliver security through sophisticated software engineering, decoupling cryptography from hardware or network constraints, and opening up a world in which the adaptability of our operators is matched by the adaptability of our communications stack.

We imagine a world in which the operator's ability to communicate securely with his teammates, his command, and his partners, is not limited by the radios he carries in his rucksack.

Development Strategy

Building software is unlike building hardware. Developing, delivering and deploying software is a continuous cycle. By focusing on a discrete problem set, we are able to maximize the velocity by which we get product into users' hands.

Through agile iteration with multiple military units, Adyton will apply human-centric design thinking and user empathy to drive development against a targeted problem with maximum impact across a broad set of users.

The ultimate metric for success will be end user adoption of our product in real-world situations.

Product Roadmap:

Unique features of the proposed technology will include:

Cross-domain end-to-end encrypted communications
Single-user chat
Multi-user group chat
IRC chat integration
Pre-defined message formats to support TOC operations
Phone-to-phone cryptographic on-boarding for secure comms w/ partner force elements
Automatic traffic prioritization & routing
Automatic network link characterization
Ability to share tactical imagery info with partner forces
Ability to securely disseminate SPOT & EWIOH across disparate elements
Integration of battlefield sensors (including soldier wearables, sensors, etc)
Mesh-based remote wipe
Mesh-based local data back-up
...

Assumptions for Execution

To execute with requisite degree of confidence in success, a number of key factors will have to be in place:

Data rights

The government retains rights to data generated through the course of testing, evaluation, and operation.
Adyton retains rights to software code developed throughout the course of research & development.
The government and Adyton retain shared rights to usage metrics for the purposes of optimizing product functionality.

Problem access

Adyton will require partnership with end users to facilitate iteration and testing, and integration of product feedback.
Access will include face to face communication within the user's typical operational or training environment.
Government will sponsor any clearances required to enable iteration and problem discovery around the use case.

How Will We Judge Success?

Success will be judged solely on positive impact to the mission readiness and communications capability of the warfighter. Tactical indicators of success will include:

Reduced operational load-out with increased tactical flexibility at end user level (i.e. a communications platform that is more secure, smaller, lighter and more efficient)
Increased richness of communications at the end user and reach-back levels
- The ability to capture and disseminate new types of data e.g. battlefield of things sensors.
- The ability to communicate with new elements e.g. secure tactical data sharing with partners.
- The ability to communicate across the enterprise e.g. end to end encrypted communications across domain
Demonstrated ability to integrate new devices, applications and transport options as new technology becomes viable
- The ability to seamlessly transport securely through 5G and mesh environments.
- The ability to integrate tactical applications in multi domain operational environments e.g. airborne platforms.

Challenges & Risk

Our primary challenge will be focused on modernizing mindset around network- and hardware-focused approaches to security.
Additional challenges will be to overcome legacy approach to prioritizing acquisition of new technology, as opposed to inter-operability of existing and emerging technology

How We Can Scale Quickly to Prototype?

Acquisition:

Rapid Acquisition Authority (RAA) DoDM 5000.78, March 20, 2019 states: 3.1. RAA REQUESTS. c. There are four categories of RAA: (4) Compelling national security needs requiring the immediate initiation of a project under the rapid fielding or rapid prototyping acquisition pathways in accordance with Section 804 of Public Law 114-92, as amended. link

Contracting:

Subpart 13.5 – Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items 13.500 General (a) This subpart authorizes the use of simplified procedures for the acquisition of supplies and services in amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7 million ($13 million for acquisitions as described in 13.500(c))
Prototype Other Transaction Agreement under 10 U.S. Code, Section 2371b
Procurement contract for experimental purposes 10 U. S. Code, Section 2373

Potential Stakeholder Interest Includes:

Army SOF
NSW
MARSOC
Army C5ISR Center
NSA CSS - Warfighter Integration Program
DARPA Strategic Technology Office

Why Potential Stakeholders Want TACP?

When faced by the aggressive innovation cycle of near peer rivals, the DoD will be required to make non linear improvements in the capabilities, security, and flexibility of the communications architecture in the joint force and multi-domain environment.

TACP unlocks the promise of new innovations with data transport, spectrum growth, sensor integration, the battlefield of things, and coalition interoperability.

Through the use of a transport agnostic communications platform, decision makers can accelerate the velocity of innovation that they deliver to the warfighter.