Florida Atlantic: Battle for Airwaves

In modern warfare, it's not just tanks, planes and missiles that decide who wins — it's the invisible waves in the air. The electromagnetic spectrum, used for everything from battlefield communications and radar to GPS and satellite navigation, is becoming one of the most contested spaces in national defense.

Backed by a $2.1 million grant from the United States Department of Defense Air Force Research Laboratory, Florida Atlantic's College of Engineering and Computer Science recently launched a new Center of Excellence for Research and Education in Programmable Wireless Networks. The initiative, led by Dimitris Pados, Ph.D., Schmidt Eminent Scholar Professor of Engineering and Computer Science, and George Sklivanitis, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt Research Associate Professor, will focus on cutting-edge wireless technologies that are agile, secure and adaptable — key attributes for surviving and thriving in today's high-tech battlespaces.

"In the future, the military will operate in environments where the electromagnetic spectrum is fiercely contested. Communication systems will be jammed and interfered with, making reliable communication and data sharing increasingly difficult. To overcome these challenges, we need innovative solutions to minimize interference and maximize utilization of these critical frequencies," Pados said. "This issue goes beyond just connecting radios — it also affects vital systems like radar, GPS and navigation tools that rely on the spectrum."

The U.S. military currently relies on legacy systems that are often rigid and difficult to adapt. These hard-wired communication systems lack the flexibility required for fast-changing missions — a major liability in complex operations. Florida Atlantic's new center aims to change that by developing intelligent, reconfigurable systems that can adjust on the fly.

"We need to move from rigid, siloed models to programmable and adaptive systems capable of learning, self-optimizing and collaborating in real time," Pados said. "By investing in advanced research and cutting-edge technologies, the U.S. military can maintain its strategic edge in the competitive race for electromagnetic spectrum dominance, ensuring a decisive advantage in future operational environments."

Florida Atlantic's program is built on three foundational pillars:

• The first focuses on the development of intelligent algorithms that can autonomously manage and secure wireless spectrum use, even under hostile conditions.
• The second targets the creation of powerful, programmable hardware — like software-defined radios and flexible networks — that can withstand and adapt to evolving threats across air, land, sea and space.
• The third pillar is focused on building a pipeline of talent and training students from high school through doctoral programs to become the next generation of defense tech innovators.

Florida Atlantic is leading the effort in collaboration with the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York.

"Our FAU Center of Excellence will be at the forefront of developing a new generation of engineers and computer scientists who will be equipped to tackle the growing challenges in electromagnetic spectrum operations," said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. "As adversaries around the world become more sophisticated in their ability to disrupt communications, it's imperative for the United States to stay ahead of the curve."