A Preliminary Study of Routing Protocols in a Tactical Data Link Ad Hoc Network in Colombian Maritime Scenario

Abstract

Tactical Data Link (TDL) systems are a kind of Mobile Ad Hoc NETwork (MANET) used in diverse maritime operational environments such as natural disasters, surveillance, maritime search, and rescue. A TDL network is usually composed of nodes or units representing surface ships, submarines, and aircrafts able to participate in maritime operations. A routing protocol is required to establish communication between nodes, which guarantees the route from the source node to the destination node. A TDL has been developed in the Colombian Caribbean Sea (CTDL). However, no efficient routing protocol has been implemented. This works to perform a preliminary study to implement an appropriate routing protocol for the CTDL.
 Local environment constraints, in addition to the chosen protocols' performance analysis, will provide preliminary alternatives for a routing protocol with acceptable efficiency. This article provides a background of ad-hoc networks routing protocols, a description of the Colombian Caribbean maritime operational environment, a comparative analysis of routing protocols, and a discussion of conclusions and future developments regarding CTDL.