Physical Layer Security in Military Communications: A Three Levels Approach

Military communications need to be secure in harsh operational conditions under constant enemy attacks and attempts to eavesdrop, jam, or decrypt the communications. Physical layer security (PLS) can be used in conjunction with traditional cryptographic techniques to ensure an additional layer of security for military communications. In this article, PLS techniques at different levels of military communications, from communications at the military section level to the battalion or command center level, are discussed and analyzed. The presented solutions were tailored to the challenges faced in each scenario, leading to good performance. Additional challenges are also discussed, and suitable solutions are outlined.