To enable the “mobile battlefield Network”, DARPA is developing the Multifunctional On-the-Move Secure Adaptive Integrated Communications (MOSAIC).
Using “ad-hoc mobile networking” MOSAIC automatically forms and self-organizes the network without any human input. Each user or airborne relay forms an intermediate communications node routing messages on its way to the final destination. Such networks rely on the extensive distribution of users throughout the area of operations and therefore do not require a dedicated communications infrastructure on the ground.
“Ad-hoc networks” automatically adapt to topography, interference maintaining optimal Quality of Service (QOS) of data messages, based on the urgency of the message. Recent tests have shown that such QOS functions can accelerate the distribution of critical messages (such as NBC alert) from 6 seconds to less than one second. MOSAIC can also be linked to terrestrial and SATCOM networks for global connectivity.
