Effective spectrum and frequency management is essential to the success of U.S. military operations. Military operations increasingly rely on the ability to maintain full access and reliable control of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum for communications, radar, electronic warfare, remote fires, avionics, global positioning, logistics, medical support, and signals intelligence uses.  Information dominance cannot be achieved without it.  Consequently, effective spectrum and frequency management is central to present and future warfare plans, including Force 21, the Army After Next, the Expeditionary Aerospace Forces, and the Marine Expeditionary Forces. 

There is growing concern that the Department of Defense (DoD) can no longer meet its domestic and international spectrum needs.  DoD spectrum needs are growing at an exponential pace.  Meanwhile, there is growing pressure to further reduce the DoD’s allocation of spectrum to support private sector applications. 

KBSI's Spectrum Management Optimization and Deconfliction Enhancements (S-MODE) initiative is researching advanced scheduling and decision support technologies to promote more efficient frequency management--both now and in the future--and address known voids in ongoing spectrum management modernization efforts.

The S-MODE technologies use the innovative application of both classical optimization and emerging algorithms to address situation-specific frequency scheduling problems. This allows S-MODE to characterize how scheduling algorithm applicability can depend on the specific situation type or scenario involved in frequency management decision-making. The S-MODE research will also provide a clear definition of the kinds of metrics needed to evaluate frequency scheduling options and identify promising candidates for further research.

The S-MODE technology will help frequency managers more rapidly and effectively (i) generate feasible frequency scheduling solutions in view of competing objectives and constraints; (ii) analyze and resolve scheduling conflicts; (iii) quickly make sense of the conditions involved in real-time metric adjustment decision-making; (iv) analyze frequency utilization history, patterns, and trends to derive meaningful management statistics; (v) improve the optimized use of limited electronic spectrum resources; (vi) apply meaningful metrics for frequency management decision making and reporting; and (vii) demonstrate and effectively communicate responsible stewardship of the electronic spectrum.

These advancements will be of particular value as the DoD pursues further improvements in spectrum management capability through the development of full duplex telemetry standards and systems, advanced modulation strategies, etc.  It is in this setting that the S-MODE technology will provide the pivotal spectrum allocation and scheduling optimization algorithms needed to fully realize the integrated Network Enhanced Telemetry (iNET) vision.

The S-MODE technologies will also be highly effective in telemetry management and commercial telecommunications and production manufacturing environments where similar problems about (both frequency management, in particular, and inventory scheduling problems, in general).