Session 2.4e: Tutorial - Spectrum Overmatch: enabling unmanned communications in contested environments
Tracks
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| Wednesday, November 19, 2025 |
| 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| Sutherland Theatre |
Details
The Ukraine conflict highlights the critical need for Unmanned systems to operate effectively at scale within heavily contested and congested RF environments. Both sides have deployed extensive communications and GNSS denial capabilities, causing significant disruption to operations. Early and well-publicized failures of high-profile Western unmanned systems during the initial stages of the conflict underscored the importance of designing these systems from the outset to operate in contested electromagnetic environments. Equally crucial is the ability to rapidly evolve and adapt to maintain operational overmatch amid constantly changing adversary concepts of operations and increasingly sophisticated jamming techniques.
While reliance on RF communication links and GNSS-based positioning can be eliminated — through fibre-optic controlled drone systems and advanced AI-driven navigation and targeting — these alternatives impose significant operational limitations. These limitations involve reduced operating range, difficulties in enabling collaborative autonomous missions, and the inability to fully meet Western rules of engagement, which typically mandate human oversight either “in the loop” or “on the loop” for kinetic operations.
Considering these limitations, dependable, electronic warfare-resistant, low-latency wireless communication links remain crucial for battlefield drone systems well into the future. Success requires no single “silver bullet” but instead a layered “defense in depth” strategy that combines multiple techniques—both individually and in combination.
This presentation explores procedures and operational behaviours applicable to modern MANET IP Mesh communication systems, aiming to consistently deliver spectrum overmatch. This capability provides a decisive advantage in information sharing and maneuverability, even in the most hostile and contested battlefield environments.
Speaker
Mr Rob Garth
Business Unit Director - Uncrewed Systems
DTC
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Biography
Rob Garth is the Business Unit Director for Uncrewed Systems at Domo Tactical Communications (DTC), a Codan company, where he leads the development of advanced communications solutions for unmanned systems across land, sea, and air domains. With over eight years at DTC, Rob oversees the BluSDR software-defined radios and MeshUltra MANET mesh waveforms, delivering long-range, high-throughput, and resilient wireless communications optimized for contested battlefield environments.
Prior to his current role, Rob was Director of Products, Broadband Wireless at DTC for over six years, spearheading innovative surveillance, communications, and broadcast systems used in complex security environments worldwide. His expertise spans command and control, counterterrorism, airborne downlinks, covert audio and video, and unattended ground sensors, providing tailored solutions to customers in more than 140 countries.
Before joining DTC, Rob spent nearly 12 years at Ultra Electronics’ Wood & Douglas division, serving as Head of Technology and Technical Director. He led product development in Defence, Homeland security, and Commercial sectors.
Rob holds an M.Eng. and B.Eng. in Electronics from the University of Warwick, where he founded and presided over the Amateur Radio Society. His extensive technical leadership and project management experience underpin his commitment to delivering cutting-edge wireless communication technologies.
