RC10 Wideband ARQ & IP Controller – 120 kbps
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES

RC10 Wideband ARQ & IP Controller – 120 kbps

The RC10 ARQ Server and IP Controller is a purpose-built rack-mount platform for the STANAG 5066 automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol. The RC10 has an embedded STANAG 5066 protocol stack function, enabling user applications such as military message handling systems, email, chat and IP applications to operate efficiently over strategic and maritime HF beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) radio links.

Additionally, the RC10 has an embedded MARLIN STANAG 4691 network controller enabling IP applications to operate efficiently over V/UHF extended line-of-sight (ELOS) radio links.

The RC10 is intended for systems integrators of strategic and naval HF data communications systems including NATO communications systems.

Embedded STANAG 5066 Wideband ARQ Stack

The RC10 has an embedded STANAG 5066 ARQ stack and the STANAG 5066 embedded clients are normally required by most users. The RC10 complies with all the mandatory requirements of STANAG 5066 Edition 4. The RC10 is intended to work in conjunction with the RM10 Wideband SDM & ALE for secure HF data communications solutions with an external cryptographic unit. The RM10 is a rack-mount modem unit with a software option for embedded wideband HF data modem waveforms complying with MIL-STD-188-110D and STANAG 5069 (Block 3) and the Wideband ALE (WALE) controller functions, specified in MIL-STD-188-141D. The RM10 provides raw over-the-air (OTA) data speeds of up to 120 000 bps on surface wave and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) HF communication links. The RC10 can connect directly to external email servers and Military Message Handling Systems (MMHS). A notable client supported by the RC10 is the IP client for IP-over-HF applications.

Embedded STANAG 4691 MARLIN Network Controller

The RC10 platform also has embedded software for the Mobile Ad-Hoc Relay Line-of-Sight Networking (MARLIN) protocol based on the NATO ACompP-4691/STANAG 4691 Annex A (Version 1) specification. The RC10 is intended to work in conjunction with the RM10 Wideband SDM & ALE for secure V/UHF Line-Of-Sight (LOS) and HF Extended Line-Of-Sight (ELOS) IP-based data communications solutions with an external cryptographic unit.

In environments where SATCOM availability is constrained due to equipment limitations, cost considerations or SATCOM-denied areas, MARLIN’s utilization of HF ELOS and V/UHF LOS emerges as a practical alternative. Furthermore, the widespread availability of legacy tactical voice radios that support HF and UHF bands could be utilized to transport IP data using STANAG 4691 (MARLIN). MARLIN radio circuit networks offer interoperability of allied forces by allowing the exchange of tactical data with all sea-surface, sub-surface, airborne (mobile) and land (fixed) platforms.

Deployment of the RC10’s STANAG 5066 Wideband ARQ Stack

The RC10 is suitable for installation on naval and maritime below-deck platforms (surface, sub-surface and air) due to its compact form factor and environmental specifications, especially the wide temperature range. The RC10 has added capabilities to allow it to also operate in high-power NATO shore stations e.g., those with broadcast and ship-shore (BRASS) including BRASS Initial Core Capability (BICC) and BRASS IP Enhanced System (BRIPES), BRASS Enhancements 1 Technical Architecture (BRE1TA) and BRASS Enhancements 2 Technical Architecture (BRE2TA) configurations. The RC10 can operate in either fixed-frequency or multi-frequency networks, and it provides interoperability with other STANAG 5066 products such as RC66, BFEM66, 4KMA and RIFAN.

The RC10 STANAG 5066 ARQ protocol stack supports the following operational modes: ARQ, non-ARQ (broadcast) as well as EMCON (emission control). The RC10 supports the Subnetwork Interface Sublayer (SIS) interface protocol. This SIS interface enables multiple applications to send and receive data simultaneously. The data associated with an application has a priority. The STANAG 5066 ARQ protocol stack supports multiple applications by multiplexing and prioritising data sent over the air ensuring that higher precedence data will be sent first. The STANAG 5066 stack can simultaneously communicate in both directions on a given communications link.

The RC10 implements advanced collision avoidance and recovery as well as a listen-before-transmit function to improve overall network throughput. It can also automatically adjust the transmitter data rate by using the built-in DRC functionality, provided modem control is available.

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STANAG 5066 Edition 4

The STANAG 5066 Edition 4, referred to as wideband ARQ (WB-ARQ), addresses data operation up to a maximum data rate of 240 kbps. The RC10 provides data operation from 75 bps up to a maximum of 120 kbps. The latter agrees with a wideband HF radio system offering a maximum bandwidth of 24 kHz. STANAG 5066 Edition 4 Annexes A, B, C, D, F and S are marked as mandatory requirements. The RC10 complies with the mandatory requirements of Annexes A to F and S, and a subset of the optional requirements of these annexes. STANAG 5066 Edition 4 Annexes E, G, H, I and M have been removed and are therefore not applicable.

STANAG 5066 Edition 4 Annexes J, K and L address the Media Access Control (MAC) capabilities. The RC10 complies with the requirements of Annexes J and K. Annex L, addressing the WTRP function has been changed completely in Edition 4 and interoperability with the Edition 3 implementation is not achievable. RapidM has plans to update the current RC10 Edition 3-based WTRP implementation to comply with the Edition 4 specification in future.

STANAG 5066 Edition 4 further introduced Annexes R and T specifying the Routing and TRANSEC crypto sublayers as optional features. RapidM has plans to implement these annexes in future. STANAG 5066 Edition 4 retained most of the clients specified in Edition 3 as part of Annex F. In Edition 4 these clients have been moved into their separate annexes. There are no new clients defined in Edition 4, but the S4406 Annex E and IP clients have been updated. Some clients have been removed from the Edition 4 specification.

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STANAG 5066 Edition 4 Backwards-Interoperability with Edition 3

The RC10 supports networks consisting of both STANAG 5066 Edition 3 and Edition 4 nodes concurrently. As part of the RC10 addressing configuration, it is specified on a per-node-basis whether the node is Edition 3 or Edition 4 capable. The default configuration assumes an Edition 3 capability when communicating with nodes not yet added to the routing table.

When the RC10 is configured for Edition 4, it will only be able to concurrently communicate with nodes being Edition 3 or Edition 4 capable. As part of the link request, the Edition 4 node determines whether a remote node is Edition 4 capable or not. If it is determined that the remote node is not Edition 4 capable, then all ensuing STANAG 5066 data exchanges will be completed using Edition 3 functionality thus without the use of any features associated exclusively with Edition 4.

Alternatively, if via the STANAG 5066 link request, it is determined that the remote node is indeed Edition 4 capable, then all ensuing STANAG 5066 data exchanges can make use of the Edition 4 functionality. When the RC10 is configured for Edition 3 only, it will only be able to communicate using Edition 3 features. Note that no Edition 4 features will be used if communicating with Edition 3 nodes.

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STANAG 5066 Edition 3

The STANAG 5066 Edition 3, referred to as narrowband ARQ (NB-ARQ), addresses data operation up to a maximum data rate of 9.6 kbps in 3 kHz and 19.2 kbps in 2 × 3 kHz (ISB).

STANAG 5066 Edition 3 Annexes A, B, C and D are marked as mandatory annexes. The RC10 complies with these requirements. STANAG 5066 Edition 3 Annexes E, G, H and M contain important implementation guidelines, whilst Annex N is a placeholder to provide TDMA operation in future. The latter annexe is empty and therefore not applicable.

STANAG 5066 Edition 3 Annexes J, K and L address the Media Access Control (MAC) capabilities. The RC10 complies with the requirements of Annexes J, K and L.

The applicable data clients are specified in Edition 3 as part of Annex F.

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STANAG 4691 MARLIN Controller

The RC10 offers as a software option, the standards-based MARLIN controller as specified in the NATO STANAG 4691 Annex A, used for fixed frequency ad-hoc V/UHF LOS and HF ELOS networks. The RC10’s MARLIN controller conforms to the STANAG 4691, Annex A, by providing functionalities, such as automatic network discovery, collision avoidance, error-free data delivery using the embedded ARQ protocol, multi-hop Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (MANET) operation and slot merging for adaptive data throughput control. For the Rapid Mobile STANAG 4691 MARLIN HF and V/UHF solution, the RC10 is utilized in conjunction with the HF and V/UHF waveforms provided by the RM10. A link encryption module may be connected between the controller and modem. Typically, an IP router connects to the RC10 controller, while an HF or V/UHF radio interfaces with the RM10 modem.

The RC10’s utilizes the following RM10 embedded waveforms during STANAG 4691 operations:

  • HF ELOS MIL-STD-188-110D (24 kHz), ≤ 120 000 bps
  • V/UHF LOS NATO STANAG 4691 Annex B (25 kHz), ≤ 96 000 bps
  • V/UHF LOS NATO STANAG 4691 Annex B (20 kHz), ≤ 76 800 bps
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RC10 External Interfaces

The RC10 unit has a bit-exact synchronous DCE interface compliant with the EIA 530A standard. The interface is intended to connect to the RED side of standardised cryptographic equipment. The DCE interface supports all the modem data rates required by MIL-STD-188-110D (Blocks 1, 2 and 3) up to 120 kbps. Please note that this standard includes several very unusual rates not normally found on serial interfaces.

In addition, the RC10 unit has three Ethernet interfaces for data transfer and management functions via UDP/IP and TCP/IP as summarised below.

  • J13 DATA LAN port is used for the protocol data unit transfers via TCP/IP between the RC10 and the RM10 when synchronous serial transfers are not required.
  • J14 CTRL LAN port is used for device management. The J14 CTRL LAN port supports up to three logical connections. The J14 CTRL LAN port is also used to interface with an external Network Time Protocol (NTP) server for accurate system time.
  • J35 AUX LAN port is used to interface with the data applications used with the embedded STANAG 5066 stack or STANAG 4691 controller functions.

The RC10 also provides a serial interface for remote control and connections to an external GPS device for accurate system time. The RC10 units can also be configured and controlled via the front panel interface.

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RC10 ARQ Server
NATO Stock Number: 5895-20-011-9976
Part Number: RME-C0-RA-CWV06

Features and Benefits

  • Wide deployment base for HF radio systems for fixed shore and mobile surface, sub-surface or air installations.
  • Co-Site and Split-Site Operation – Management of a TX and RX modem and ALE unit, or TX-only and RX-only units
  • Fixed frequency and multi-frequency operation via STANAG 5066 channel access sub-layer functions, including support for 2G ALE, 3G ALE and 4G or WALE.
  • Fixed frequency multi-node operation via STANAG 5066 WTRP or STANAG 4691 MARLIN controller functions.
  • Standard interface to federating and shipboard IP routers.
  • Standard interface to synchronous serial cryptographic equipment.
  • Interfaces for legacy radios and cryptographic equipment.
  • Time updates via External GPS or NTP Time Server.
  • Operational Modes: ARQ, non-ARQ (Broadcast) as well as EMCON (Emission Control) for both STANAG 5066 and STANAG 4691 software functions.
  • Support for Broadcast Whitelist Filter for Ethernet MAC, IP (IPv4) and UDP filtering provided for STANAG 5066 and STANAG 4691 software functions.
  • Embedded Software Functions:
    • Wideband ARQ Protocol Stack – compliant to STANAG 5066 Edition 4
    • Narrowband ARQ Protocol Stack – compliant to STANAG 5066 Edition 3
    • MARLIN Controller – compliant to STANAG 4691 Annex A
  • Embedded STANAG 5066 Clients:
    • Embedded – IP Client (Ed. 3 Annex F.12 / Ed. 4 Annex U) (Standard Configuration)
    • Embedded – COSS Clients (Ed. 3 Annex F.3 / Ed. 4 Annex P) (Standard Configuration)
    • Embedded – HF Operator Chat (Ed. 3 Annex F.7 / Ed. 4 Annex O) (Standard Configuration)
    • Embedded – Email Gateway: CFTP (Ed. 3 Annex F.14 / Ed. 4 Annex V), HMTP (Ed. 3 Annex F.5) (Software Option)
  • Works with RM10 Wideband Data Modem – datasheet available
  • Works with RI10 Split-Site Controller – datasheet available
  • Configuration and Control Protocols: RAP1/RIPC
  • Menu-Driven Control and Configuration from RC10 Front Panel
  • Factory and Customs Presets from RC10 Front Panel for simplified integration effort
  • External Interfaces:
    • DCE (To Modem/Crypto) Port – EIA 530A Synchronous/Asynchronous, RS-232/RS-422
    • Ethernet CTRL LAN Interface – for Management and Control
    • Ethernet DATA LAN Interface – for Data via TCP/IP (To Modem)
    • Ethernet AUX LAN Interface – for IP Router connection
    • Asynchronous Serial Port – for COSS data
  • Excellent Environmental Specifications:
    • Based on RapidM “Family 10” Common Hardware Platform
    • Low Power Consumption, 3.5 Watt (typical) @ 230 VAC
    • High-Temperature Range, -30 °C to +70 °C (Operation and Storage)
    • Tested for High Shock and Vibration
    • High MTBF, > 40,000 hours
    • 10-Year Product and 20-Year Spares Availability Period
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