Military Communication Institute keeps regular contacts with international research and design centers, which influence the creation of new telecomputing technologies. The MCI experts take part in conferences, symposiums, fairs, exhibitions, committees, and work groups which carry out international research projects. 

International memberships

MCI workers are members of Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). 
Professor Marek Amanowicz is of the founders of the Polish Branch of this Association, presently the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The members of the Institute have been propagating Polish science in yet another world forum, working in the International Union of Radio Science (URSI). For three years Prof. Marek Amanowicz is the vice-chairman of the National Committee, while the chairman of the E Commission - Electromagnetic Environment and Interference - which deals with electromagnetic compatibility and disturbances - is Prof. Józef Pawelec. 

In 2009 MCI with the Radioelectronics Institute of the Warsaw Polytechnics organized XII National Symposium of Radio Sciences in Warsaw - URSI. It ran parallel with the national Conference of Radiocommunications, Broadcast and Television as part of so-called Radio Days. 

The Institute possesses the latest information about current areas of research work conducted by Nato in the fields of communication techniques, partially thanks to the fact that its experts work in multi-national theme teams, formed as part of the Information Systems technology Panel (IST Panel) of the NATO Research and technology Organization - NATO RTO), in which Prof. Marek Amanowicz is a Polish representative. Professor is an active member of the Panel.

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Projects and international programs

NATO WORKING GROUPS

The MCI workers participate in works of these NATO groups:

SOA Challenges Over Real Time and Disadvantaged Grids - IST-090/RTG-043  for SOA architecture challenges and implementation in degraded network environment;

Low-level Fusion Processing for Land Tactical and Combat Systems in NATO - IST ET-056
for procession and fusion of data in land tactical systems and NATO battle field systems;

Task Group on XML in Cross-Domain Security Solutions - RTG-031/IST-068  for inter-domain security solutions.

 MCI has its own representative in international working group formed by manufacturers and creators
of equipment striving for its interoperability - International Interoperability Control Working Group (IICWG). 

EXERCISES, WORKSHOPS, TESTS

MNE 6:  Multinational Experimentation. In 2008 MCI became observer, and in 2009 - an active participant of multinational experiments conducted in order to improve the efficacy of coalitional operations.
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The genesis of these undertakings derives from the USA. In 2001 the American Joined Headquarters of Armed Forces started a research program in this field. In time, the initiative was accepted by many countries and organizations from whole the world, involving NATO and European Union. In the years 2009-2010 during MNE 6 the Institute representatives could present and verify their own elaborations when international mechanisms of units and civil-military organizations were tested in nearly real conditions in marine, coastal and distant areas. The active participation of MCI in realization of these tasks, comprised in target 4.2 "Multinational Interagency Situational Awareness - Extended Maritime" (MISA-EM) of the sixth experiment, ended up fully successful.

CAP-DEMO: Capability Demonstration on the Baltic Sea was one of the elements of Multinational Experiment MNE 6, which was intended to examine capacity for cooperation between international civil and military structures, involving the knowledge of marine environment when so-called irregular dangers are counteracted. MCI experts turned out highly successful when completing particular stages of the International Experiment MNE 6. They actively carried out target 4.2 "Multinational Interagency Situational Awareness - Extended Maritime Environment (MISA-EM)". The target of MISA-EM is the development of coalition forces and other partners capabilities referring to increasing the situational awareness in maritime environment in order to counteract irregular dangers, including protection against prohibited activities in the sea, coastal areas and far-away water regions.   
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In reference to the above MCI prepared an intersystem connecter which enables distribution of communication in an environment based on SOA architecture and transmission of information in accordance with set rules (authentication and authorization of users based on security service plus filtration which enables transmission of certain data sets only in the case of danger). This connecter may be used in various coalitional activities, not only in marine environment. The technological capabilities were verified successfully in cooperation with the systems of Poland (SWIBŻ), NATO ACT (BRITE), Singapore (OASIS), as well as the forces and means of the Navy, Border Guard, and operational groups.

TIDE Sprint: NATO ACT Technology for information, decision and Execution Superiority.
Since 2008 MCI workers actively participate in meeting of the ACT NATO TIDE forum. It is an international environment of top class experts, who elaborate technologies for creation of situational awareness based on shared information resources of the countries which make up coalition. 
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As soon as 2009 the TIDE environment positively assessed and accepted recommendation in the field of teleinformation security (e.g. authorization of users and services in application layer) based on works by MCI experts. Of note here is intensive cooperation with the Swedish side (FMW - Swedish Defense Material Administration) when the elaborations were verified. At present, the Institute is working on implementation and testing of authorization mechanism in transportation area. Moreover, notification service in coalition environment is also being elaborated.

CXIX 2010: Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise, Examination, Experimentation, Exploration.
Participation in CWIX exercises lets the inter-operability of the latest solution in international environment be verified among potential future coalitionists on peace missions. MCI through its research and development works prepared a technological demonstrator which secures safe information exchange in heterogeneous networks, and allows transmission of information about the positions of own troops (BFT service - Blue Force Tracking). As CWIX participant MCI focused on authenticated and authorized information exchange in inter-domain relations and on testing of services, which may be shared in future military operations. 
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During security tests the mechanism of inter-domain users identification and providing them with proper access to information resources was verified, according to their authority and current security policy in own system. This mechanism makes possible integration of hitherto used intra-domain methods of authorization and control of access to resources independently of verification technique of the user's identity in the coalitionist's domain. This tested solution is vital to military systems, since apart from confidentiality and integrity when information safety is ensured, source and recipient identification (i.e. for whom information is made available or from whom it comes) is also a priority.  The range of access is determined according to partner's confidentiality level and the present status of network dangers. Verification of solution allows dynamic management of the authorities of own and collation users. One of the MCI spheres of interties is the use of the newest solution in distribution and obtaining if information in accordance with Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). During the CWIX exercises the applicability of BFT service was tested, which is tracking own troops, implemented according to NATO standards and its effective realization in narrow-band radio connections used by mobile users. During exercises two client BFT implementation services were presented. One of them satisfies the need of stationary user, who has a terminal fitted with high computing capability and usually an access to wide-band network connection. The other implementation is adjusted to limited capabilities of mobile terminal users, who are active in nets susceptible to degradation.  The goals of the Institute during CWIX exercises had been achieved. Once again MCI verified its elaborations in international environment. Shortly before the CWIX exercise the aforementioned elaborations had been verified with real situation imaging systems in marine area during the CAP-DEMO experiment as part of Multinational Experimentation (MNE-5) exercises. Exercises in a near real environment allow the Institute to design devices in accordance with modern military activities requirements and users needs. During the CWIX exercise those elaborations were positively verified, which will become a component of the devices implemented in the Armed Forces.

PROJECTS OF THE EUROPEAN DEFENSE AGENCY

Projects of European Defense Agency co-executed with or rousing interest in MCI:

MIDNET: Military Disruption Tolerant NETworks. The aim of the project is elaboration of standardization principles of wireless networks resistant to damages and technology demonstrator, which will be used in military and civil systems requiring high reliability and security.

ANUBIS: Project Ad-hoc Network for Urban-Based Information System. Its goal is to use "waveform" when projecting tactical radio systems in MCI.

CROESOS: Interoperability of Cognitive Radios, Embedded Systems and Other Smart Objects.
This project allows us to broaden the knowledge and experience while projecting, building and integrating intelligent systems and radio networks. 

SPARTACUS: SPectrum Agile & oppoRtunistic Tactical Cognitive mUlti-acceSs radio demonstrator.
The project facilitates the use of methods of effective frequency spectrum management by projecting and constructing multi-access radio systems, realized as part of the works conducted in MCI for the needs of Armed Forces.

TACTICS: Tactical Service Oriented Architecture.  Utilization of elaborated and recommended in TACTICS project solutions will facilitate effective and secure data transmission to the lowest command levels and reaching situational consciousness also at the lowest command steps. One of the SOA architecture principles is flexibility and dynamic reconfiguration of components, generating new information relations when the system is functioning. It will allow transmitting sensitive information, messages improving the quality and speed of decision making.

ESSOR:  European Secured Software Defined Radio - being part of it Project Team on Software Defined Radio (PT on SDR) deals with the concept of secure programmable radio, envisaged for the use during joint operations of the NATO countries. 

ICAR:  Intelligent Control of Adversary Radiocommunications.  This project shall enhance the participants' abilities of interception and control of radio communication in an urban environment in European Union terrain. It should augment the capabilities of detection, localization, control, interception, and blocking of radio communication (from KF range transmitters to satellite telephone terminals) by the enemy; that is terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and minimal dangers connected with IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) detonated by radio. The system activity shall have minimal or imperceptible impact on the present telecommunication infrastructure and services by it rendered. The project will end up in demonstration of its elements and display of its capabilities. 

EUROPEAN UNION PROJECTS

INSIGMA:  Intelligent Information System for Global Monitoring, Detection and Identification of Dangers.
http://insigma.kt.agh.edu.pl/ Project financed by Program Operacyjny Innowacyjna Gospodarka.  The aim of the project is elaboration and implementation of a compound information system for complex detection and identification of dangers and monitoring plus identification of mobile objects. When the system is realized its basic effect will be: elaboration of methods of automatic observation and registration of parameters about mobile objects, transmission and retrieval of data and identification of persons on these objects; detection of dangers and analysis of various traffic parameters against dynamic maps; identification of persons and dangers on the basis of portable terminals and intelligent monitoring, as well as search for persons, data and multimedia contents with securing the circulation and retrieval of information.

OTHERS

TACOMS  Post - 2000 - "Tactical Communication Standards for the Land Combat Zone post - 2000"
The Military Communications Institute actively took part in the realization of the TACOMS Post 2000 program, whose purpose is elaboration of a series of standards defining the requirements which refers to inter-operability of perspective broad-band communication systems, thereby ensuring inter-operability between tactical communication systems of various armies. 
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In July 2003 an Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding was introduced to international agreement connected with realization of the TACOMS Post 200 program, which described the rules of Polish connection to the program and set out tasks to be done. In consequence, a TACOMS Post 2000 Sub-Contract between TAC ONE and the Military Communications Institute was closed, effective from 03.10.2003. It defined MCI tasks within TACOMS Post 2000 program, regulated principles of excitation, payments, and other responsibilities of co-participants. The work effects of particular stages of each working packet were put in reports, transferred to TAC ONE via a special computer system, which enabled also the Institute to have access to all information generated during these works.  In 2005 the realization of the working packet referring to protocols of mechanisms of routing information exchange with external networks for realization of connectively oriented services                 should be finished. Next phases of the program were conducted as part of so-called testing and prototyping initiative. MCI actively participated in these works. A team for realization of prototypes of selected inter-operational points was formed. One mode of prototype testing was WinEx and Combined Endeavor exercises intended for modern broad-band systems elaborated in agreement with the directives of TACOMS Post 2000 program.

TICNET -  "Implementation of IPv6 Protocol for Tactical Interoperable Communications Networks"
In March 2003 MCI with Military Technical Academy and German Telecommunication Institute of Information Processing and Ergonomy (FKIE - Wachtberg) began to realize a research project "Implementation of IPv6 Protocol for Tactical Interoperable Communications Networks" (TICNET).
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Its purpose was to evaluate the implementation capabilities of protocol IPv6 in military telecommunication networks, accommodate it to military requirements, and simulation as well direct verification of suggested solutions. The use of protocol IPv6 will create conditions for better interoperability of national tactical telecommunication systems. The works were completed as planned in 2005. Their most important effect is elaboration of guarantee procedures for the quality of services sensitive to delay in tactical narrow-band IPv6 networks with their simulation and experimental verification, elaboration of twp independent implementations of network adapter (Polish and German) carrying out guarantee procedures for services quality, elaboration of simulating model of net adapter and its validation, construction of integrated research environment instead for testing narrow-band networks based on pile of IPv6/IPSec protocols embracing IT WAT, MCI and FKIE laboratories, and common publications in esteemed materials of international conferences, including the conference of Panel IST of NATO RTO organization.

  

Military Communications and Information Systems Conference
The Military Communications Institute is a co-organizer of annual MCC conference with Military Technical Academy and the national branch of AFCEA Association. For years the conference has been supported by NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) and European Defense Agency. In international and national forum the conference is known as NATO Regional Conference on Military Communications and Information systems. In 2006 the name was changed to MCC - Military Communications and Information Systems Conference.
The conference is a useful tool for international exchange of the latest information about military communication systems and computer science between scientists and representatives of the industry and armed forces, as well as institutions connected with defense.
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The idea of scientific conference, which would make it possible to present the most important issues referring to new military communication systems and computer science, was conceived at the Higher Officer School of Communications Army in Zegrz (Wyższa Szkoła Oficerska Wojsk Łączności w Zegrzu) at the beginning of the 1990s. In 1997, when the activity of WSOWŁ stopped, the organization of Military Telecommunication and Computer Science Conference was taken over by the Military communications Institute with Military Technical Academy. In 1998 the number of organizers was increased by NC3A NATO agency, and since 1999 the event gained a status of regional NATO conference. It is expressed not only in its name, but also by an active participation of several representatives of NATO Main Headquarters and NATO countries. Over the following years the conference still expanded, the representatives of European Defense Agency (EDA) joined up. At present, the conference is organized alternatively in Poland (hitherto in Zegrz, Gdynia, Kraków, Wrocław) or abroad: in 2007 in Bonn (Germany), in 2009 in Prague (Czech), gathering experts from Europe and NATO. In 2010 parallel with MCC a symposium was organized and a working session of IST Panel of NATO RTO organization. The whole event was named Military Communications and Information Systems Week (MCISWeek).

On 23.04.2009 an agreement between Military Communication Institute and German Forschungsinstitut Für Komunikation, Informationsverarbeitung und Ergonomie (FKIE) was signed, referring to scientific cooperation.
This agreement was signed by: prof. dr. rer. nat. Maurus Tacke - board chairman, Forschungsgesellschaft für Angewandte Naturwissenschaften (FGAN) and dr inż. Marek Suchański - director of Military Communication Institute.

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