Digital video broadcast - handheld (DVB-H) - a mobile last-mile tactical broadcast solution

As the information needs and services of today's Armed Forces grow in size and complexity, providing the necessary transport networks to support broadband services becomes a significant challenge. This is especially true in tactical environments where warfighters often rely on low data-rate tactical networks or bandwidth-constrained terrestrial circuits for last-mile data dissemination. Furthermore, these networks typically cannot support the transport requirements of mobile or dismounted warfighters, a capability which is essential to the nature of their operations. Providing high bandwidth information such as real-time video or high-resolution images and maps to mobile forces would significantly increase situational awareness (SA) and provide broadband digital services to the tactical environment. This last-mile broadband capability could significantly streamline the decision-making cycle horizontally and vertically for a more lethal, agile and effective combat force. DVB-H, a newly released European standard defined to broadcast digital television to mobile handheld devices, is one potential technology that could provide the necessary bandwidth, range, and mobility requirements to transmit information in a wireless, last-mile tactical environment. The projected widespread acceptance of DVB-H technology in Europe, Australia, and throughout the world is expected to create a strong market of interoperable, standards-based products in the near future. Implementing a standards-based commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) solution will better prepare the DoD in adopting technology advancements in a more timely and cost effective manner. This paper introduces the capabilities and benefits of DVB-H technology and examines how DVB-H can extend current information sources and services to dismounted, mobile warfighters. Specifically, this paper also addresses the design, capabilities, and benefits of a last-mile extension of the global broadcast service (GBS) with a DVB-H network