The ANT Experiment

Summary

ANT (Ad-hoc Network against Terrorism) will demonstrate a proof-of-concept prototype for robust, secure and unclassified information sharing between participants in a crisis situation. The intended participants include: civil and military government entities; international and non-governmental organisations; industry; and academics. Others can easily be included on an ad-hoc basis if and when needed.

External sensors can feed data to ANT for immediate distribution to the participants. ANT can be seamlessly and selectively be extended without geographical restraints. The technical environment will enable participants to rapidly share information. The technology used is available on the open market, web-based and contributed by participants. Each organization will continue to use its own equipment, and routines. ANT will tie information flow from all the participating networks together regardless of how it is handled within each of them.

At present there is little or no preparedness for such cooperation and ANT has received a very positive response. The ANT idea sprang from CITMO 2006 and is motivated by need to exchange global information on a large scale. It provides a means to achieve the “best” information network in the world between existing networks to the extent each user is willing to share. A demonstration of an ANT prototype is scheduled for 22-24 May and the results will be presented at CITMO 2007.