The Next Generation Program

The Next Generation (XG) program goals are to develop both the enabling technologies and system concepts to dynamically redistribute allocated spectrum along with novel waveforms in order to provide dramatic improvements in assured military communications in support of a full range of worldwide deployments. U.S. Forces face unique spectrum access issues in each country in which they operate, due to competing civilian or government users of national spectrum. These constraints must be reflected in all force planning and may preclude operation of critical systems. Coalition and allied operations are even more complex to manage, and may severely limit the U.S. ability to fully exploit its superiority and investment in information technology. The XG program approach is to develop the theoretical underpinnings for dynamic control of the spectrum, the technologies and subsystems that enable reallocation of the spectrum, and the system applique prototypes to demonstrate applicability to legacy and future DoD radio frequency emitters. The approach plans to investigate methods to leverage the technology base in microelectronics with new waveforms, and medium access and control protocol technologies to construct an integrated system. The proposed program goals are to develop, integrate, and evaluate the technology to enable equipment to automatically select spectrum and operating modes to both minimize disruption of existing users, and to ensure operation of U.S. systems. The result of the XG program will be to develop and demonstrate a set of standard dynamic spectrum adaption technologies for legacy and future emitter systems for joint service utility.