This thesis assesses the feasibility, suitability, efficacy, and military potential of utilizing the Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) from airborne communications nodes with emergent commercialbased wireless technologies. Such integration would offer highly mobile maneuver units with over-the-horizon (OTH) tactical data connectivity. Specifically, this work examines tactical data requirements intrinsic to military operations with current OTH tactical data solutions. It also explores current EPLRS architectures and use and then compares the functional capabilities and limitations of EPLRS with those of IEEE 802.11x and 802.16 standards and prevalent developing meshed network routing protocols. Finally, this thesis evaluates fielded and emergent technologies to see if they are suitable to build and to sustain (collectively or independently) interconnected, ubiquitous, and routable tactical data networks by capitalizing on the advantages of EPLRS and by exploiting the inherent advantages of airborne assets in overcoming line-of-sight (LOS) limitations.

Declining budgets and the reduction of workforce has caused many organizations to perform additional job assignments with fewer personnel. These organizations realized that in order to survive in a competitive market, scarce resources would provide the most value if used to work on mission-essential tasks, while allowing the performance of support functions by an outside source (called outsourcing). The Department of the Navy (DoN) is one organization that has chosen to outsource many business areas, but none bigger than the outsourcing of information technology (IT) to form the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI)â the largest IT outsourcing contract to date. While the DoN has faced many challenges since the onset of the NMCI contracting agreement, this thesis focuses on the challenges faced by the Navy Reserve with managing the Intranetâ 's user accounts. The research uses the principles of Business Process Redesign (BPR) and Knowledge Management (KM) to determine the current state (As-Is) and to recommend changes in the account management process. Specifically, the Knowledge-Value Added (KVA) methodology was used to determine the amount of knowledge quantitatively embedded in each sub-process for a relative comparison of the value that the sub-processes provide to the overall process.

This thesis is part of a project at the Naval Postgraduate School to assess the Computer Network Operations (CNO) threat of foreign countries. CNO consists of Computer Network Attack (CNA), Computer Network Exploitation (CNE), and Computer Network Defense (CND). Threats to the nation's critical infrastructures come from an adversary using CNA and CNE to degrade, deny or destroy access to the information systems they depend upon. Defensive capabilities are also addressed since exploitation, attack, and defense are inherently related. The result of a successful cyber-attack upon these critical infrastructures has the potential to cripple a country's communications and other vital services, economic well-being, and defensive capabilities. The goal of this thesis is to develop a methodology for assessing the CNO threat of Iran. The methodology is based on open sources that can supplement classified information acquired by the intelligence community.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) are used by federal laboratories to participate in collaborative efforts and partnerships with industry. Although not technically a research laboratory, the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a federally funded research university that has developed an extensive sponsored program of Technology Transfer (T2) with the private sector. Cooperative research and development is often a two-way instrument, where knowledgegenerated value can flow in both directions. This thesis research will assess that value, from the perspective of the federal partner, based on the NPS case as a specialized academic and research institution. The research and analysis performed within the context of this thesis contributes to goals established in the NPS "Technology Transfer Business Plan", focusing on the measurement of outcomes and benefits resulting from CRADAs, one of the preferred and most widely used mechanisms in technology transfer within the domain of DoD and particularly at the NPS. The perspective chosen, in the direction from the non-federal entity--generally industry--towards the federal partner, has not been researched and reported in the specialized literature as extensively as in the opposite direction.

"This thesis will research, examine, and propose a Tactical Wireless Network infrastructure Concept of Operations in Support of Distributed Operations. Research and analysis will include the capabilities and performance characteristics of the 802.16 equipment currently implemented as part of the Marine Corps Tactical Command and Control Architecture in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Current Distributed Operations doctrinal capabilities will be compared to a proposed Concept of Operations that incorporates the most current state of the art wireless technologies to maximize both capability and interoperability. The method for evaluation will incorporate COTS products and Marine Corps tactical communications devices installed and operated in both a laboratory setting as well as a tactical field environment. Key performance metrics captured include equipment throughput capacity, communications bandwidth, range and distance limitations, power consumption, communications security, and transmission security. Additional metrics evaluated include level of equipment operational complexity and degree of interoperability with current USMC command and control architecture."-- p. i.

This thesis analyzed the principles and concepts of Marine Aviation Logistics doctrine at the tactical level and the current Information Management Systems used to execute mission requirements. A web-enabled prototype for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons (MALS) was developed to optimize management and decision support for deliberate, time sensitive and crisis action planning of aviation support operations. The first iteration of the prototype was tested by two Operations (S-3) Officers formerly assigned to active-duty Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons (MALS). The application was also subjected to a usability experiment at the Database and Web Technologies Lab at the Naval Postgraduate School. The results of this research revealed potential benefits for tactical-level aviation logistics planners and sustainers; the prototype is a viable concept, worthy of future development.

In the FORCEnet Functional Concept document published by the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the leaders of the US Naval Forces called for the development of "adaptive, distributed networks of commanders, staffs, operating units, supporting organizations, sensors, weapons and other equipment interacting with one another on an underlying infrastructure, as well as the associated command and control policies, concepts, organizations... to allow them to interact." Posed to invest in the development of the FORCEnet architecture, the Navy and Marine Corps require a means of analysis to determine the value of information technologies prior to development and acquisition. The Knowledge Value Added (KVA) methodology can provide the decision makers with quantitative tools to make informed and accurate decisions in the acquisitions process of information technologies within the FORCEnet Functional Concept framework. Historically, these decisions were based on costs, schedule, and capabilities, with the emphasis on cost. A Proof of Concept analyzing the Joint Forces Maritime Component Command Planning Process was developed to demonstrate the utility of the KVA method. This analysis demonstrates the current inefficiencies within the process and the potential value of notional information technologies that could be developed to support the planning process. / US Marine Corps (USMC) author.

Currently, there is no infrastructure in place to provide data networking capabilities to ground-based tactical units below the battalion level. Legacy, voice-centric radios, organic to these units, possesses no inherent packet switched networking capability. The infrastructure for such a network is presented in this thesis. Specifically, with the SINCGARS providing the Physical Layer, a software-implemented Data Link Layer is presented. Both an Aloha-like and a CSMA protocol are implemented for media access control. Additionally, a novel routing algorithm, Expected Relative Positioning with Congestion Avoidance (ERP/CA), is presented as the Network Layer protocol. This protocol is optimized for military application, using policies regarding movement and positioning within formations to inform its routing selections. Finally, a prototype application is presented to demonstrate the use of the proposed small tactical unit, mobile ad hoc network infrastructure. The application is used in the functional testing of the layer 2 and layer 3 protocols. Results of the functional testing are presented.

In 2005, China, seemingly in response to pressure from the international community, moved the Chinese Yuan from a hard peg against the U.S. Dollar to a valuation scheme against a basket of international currencies. Whether the revaluation of the Yuan was in response to U.S. domestic pressure rising from the increasing U.S.-Chinese trade deficit, manufacturing migration, rising concerns about globalization, is open to debate. This thesis examines the 2003 United States -- China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), international organizations, U.S. trade law, and technologic applications within the context of globalization to provide an alternate understanding of why the perceived pressure to revalue the Yuan was so quickly and vigorously pursued. / US Air Force (USAF) author.

Based on initial interviews with music teachers at Årstra SpecialSchool, Uppsala, it was found that each child in a music playing session has different preferences of type and sound of a musical instrument. However, most of them have combined cognitive and physical impairments, preventing them from playing the instrument that theymight like.Starting from this idea, we developed a music application using virtual instruments, so that various types of instruments and sound can be used during a single music playing session. As an input device, we used aKinect sensor developed by Microsoft, i.e., a camera based sensor thatdetects human gestures. Our application used this Kinect sensor capability to allow users to control and play the sound by just movingtheir arms in the air. Our study has shown promising results of this applicatio, such as the positive response from the participant towards the application and the ability to change the sound of an instrument to match the participant's preference easily. However there are still some things to consider before releasing it as a consumer product, for instance bettercalibration and accuracy.