Abstract-Cognitive Radio (CR) was designed to support flexible spectrum usage by adding spectrum sensing facilities and decision making logic to the radio devices. Cognitive Radio Network (CRN) is an extension of the CR concept to enable holistic end-to-end optimization of the network operation and services. We discuss CRN management issues in the context of military and tactical operation environments, where the key feature is the temporal nature of the network installations. Our special interest is in the wireless ad hoc network solutions. The network lifetime may extend from just hours to several days. The limited lifetime of the networks makes it both possible and necessary to define the management functionalities with respect to different mission phases. Traditional FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Administration, Performance, and Security) functions and their required actions are therefore detailed to some level at each operational phase (before, during and after mission). We will emerge the idea that, as the cognitive and autonomous technologies will be developed to operate communication networks and become trustworthy enough to be applied also in tactical context, they will most likely first be applied in the during mission phase. Of course, this phase is also the most critical in the sense that it is here that lives are at stake. To answer this critical issue, the policy management must be seen as an equally critical functionality. It is necessary to develop the interconnection between mission goals and defined policies so that the Cognitive Network Engine (CNE) determining the operational parameters of the network, in all situations provides a reliable and failsafe communication solution to be utilized. 1

Based on a review of different analytical frameworks, it is suggested to run a table top cyber wargame when trying to analyse the effects of closed national networks being imposed in the near future. The scope of the wargame is to extract results to show how the resilience of an open national network differs from a closed national network. It is self-evident that the formation process of resilience is different between the diverse systems. The proposed wargame is a two-sided cyber table top wargame. The wargame is based on at least two blue teams, at least one red team and a control team (namely a white team). One blue team is located in the closed national networks and its system relies on closed national network infrastructure. The other blue team operates its system within open network society. By designing, constructing and executing the proposed cyber wargame we argue it is possible to find these differences and similarities as well. Current research improves cyber situation awareness and proposes a direction to be followed when trying to understand the changing circumstances of the cyber space. It also suggests how the research resources could be directed when trying to improve the situation awareness of the closing process.

In the absence of real-life implementations, this paper attempts to conceptually capture potential benefits and improvements that Cognitive Radio Networks (CRN) could introduce to a military environment. Functional business capability areas, as well as a system model, are used to frame analysis. Military CRNs improve reliability and availability of information flows. These may lead to improved information sharing and situation awareness and eventually to wider adoption of mission command and self-synchronization. However, fundamental capacity benefits of the CRNs remain a research topic. The requirement of computer-aided planning, preparation and simulation environment in support of deployed CRNs could also serve as a research and development platform for a Cognitive Radio System development activity as a collaborative international effort.

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