The Benefits of a Network Tasking Order in Combat Search and Rescue Missions

Networked communications play a crucial role in United States Armed Forces operations. As the military moves towards more network centric (Net-Centric) operations, it becomes increasingly important to use the network as effectively as possible with respect to the overall mission. This thesis advocates the use of a Network Tasking Order (NTO), which allows operators to reason about the network based on asset movement, capabilities, and communication requirements. These requirements are likely to be derived from the Air Tasking Order (ATO), which gives insight into the plan for physical assets in a military mission. In this research we illustrate the benefit of an NTO in a simulation scenario that centers on communication in a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission. While demonstrating the CSAR mission, we assume the use of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) for communication instead of current technology in order to mimic likely future communication configurations.