Faced with "past technical deficiencies in telecommunications systems and equipment and software…that were traced to basic inadequacies in the application of telecommunication standards and to the lack of a well defined…program for their review, control and implementation", the U.S. Department of Defense looked to develop a series of standards that would alleviate the problem.[1]
By 1988, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) issued Instruction 4630.8 (reissued in 1992, 2002, 2004) stating its policy that "all forces for joint and combined operations be supported through compatible, interoperable, and integrated Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence systems. …[and that all such] systems developed for use by U.S. forces are considered to be for joint use."[2] To achieve this the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is charged with "developing information technology standards to achieve interoperability and compatibility…[and ensure that all] systems and equipment shall conform to technical and procedural standards for interface, interoperability, and compatibility".[2]
The MIL-STD-188 standards were created to "address telecommunication design parameters based on proven technologies."[2] To ensure interoperability, DISA made these standards mandatory for use in all new DoD systems and equipment, or major upgrades.
The mandatory use of these standards will aid significantly in achieving standardization and result in improvements in availability, maintainability, reliability, and supportability. This, in turn, will enhance lifecycle configuration management and logistic support with subsequent reductions in life cycle costs.[1]
When first developed, Military Standard 188 covered technical standards for tactical and long-haul communications, but as it was revised (MIL-STD-188A, MIL-STD-188B) it became a document applicable to tactical communications only (MIL-STD-188C 24 Nov 1969[3]).[4] The Defense Information Systems Agency published circulars which announced both standards and engineering criteria relating to the long-haul Defense Communications System and to the technical support of the Worldwide Military Command and Control System.[4] In line with a decision by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, these standards are published in the MIL-STD-188 series of documents. This series is subdivided into "a MIL-STD-188-100 series covering common standards for tactical and long-haul communications, a MIL-STD-188-200 series covering standards for tactical communications only, and a MIL-STD-188-300 series covering standards for long-haul communications only."[4]
For any manufacturer seeking to deviate from the MIL–STD-188 series standards (prior to the manufacture of an item) they must request to do so with the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) which is constituted under the Defense Communications Agency. For any DoD Agency to get a waiver to receive an item that deviates from the standards they also must apply to the JSC.[1]
Currently the DoD is placing its emphasis "on the development of common standards for tactical and long-haul communications (the MIL-STD-188-100 series)."[2]
Note: The following list of documents are those that are presently active. Documents with three digit numbers followed by a letter of the alphabet indicate that they are revisions of an older version of that document.
According to the DoD the MIL-STD-188-100 series contains "technical standards and design objectives which are common to both the long haul and tactical communications systems."[1]
The current articles in this series include:
100 - Common Long Haul and Tactical Communication System Technical Standards[6]
105 - Interoperability and Performance Standards for the All Digital Tactical-To-Strategic Gateway
110D - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Data Modems
112 - Subsystem Design And Engineering Standards For Common Long Haul Tactical Cable And Wire Communications
113 - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Analog- To- Digital Conversion Techniques
114A - Electrical Characteristics of PC teléfono apo 78
Digital Interface Circuits (can interoperate with RS-422 and RS-423, but not identical)
115 - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Communications Timing And Synchronization Subsystems
116 - Interoperability Standards For Information And Record Traffic Exchange Mode
120 - Military Communication System Standards Terms And Definitions
124B - Grounding, Bonding And Shielding For Common Long Haul/Tactical Communication Systems Including Ground Based Communications-Electronics Facilities And Equipments
197A - Adaptive Recursive Interpolated Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ARIDPCM) Compression Algorithm For The National Imagery Transmission Format Standard
198A - Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) Image Compression for the National Imagery Transmission Format Standard
199 - Vector Quantization Decompression for the National Imagery Transmission Format Standard
203-1A - Interoperability and Performance Standards for Tactical Digital Information Link (Tadil) A (Link 11)
According to the DoD the MIL-STD-188-200 series "contains current tactical communications, technical standards and design objectives…[this series includes] appropriate unclassified design objectives and tactical communications systems technical standards…[and] Appropriate communications-electronics systems standards and design objectives developed under joint projects…[which are] integrated in the tactical communications standards."[1]
The current articles in this segment include:
200 - System Design and Engineering Standards For Tactical Communications
202 - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Tactical Digital Transmission Groups (Coaxial Cable) For Tactical Communications
203 - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Tactical Digital Information Link (TADIL) A
212 - Subsystem Design And Engineering Standards For Tactical Digital Information Link (TADIL) B
216A - Interoperability Standards For Data Adapter Control Mode
220D - Digital Message Transfer Device Subsystems (Combat-net radio)
241 - RF Interface Requirements for VHF Frequency Hopping Tactical Radio Systems
242 - Interoperability & Performance Standards For Tactical Single Channel Very High Frequency (VHF) Radio Equipment
243 - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Tactical Single Channel Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Communications
256 - Interoperability And Performance Standards For Digital Signaling And Supervision Of Tactical Communications Systems
260 - Design And Engineering Standards For Tactical Terminal Subsystems
According to the DoD the MIL-STD-188–300 Series contains "communications system standards and design objectives applicable to the field of long haul and point-to–point communications in support of the Defense Communications System (DCS) and the National Military Command System (NMCS), and also to provide the necessary interface with non-DCS equipment."[1]
The current articles in this series include:
300 - Standards For Long Haul Communications System Design Standards Applicable To The Defense Communications System
310A - Subsystem Design And Engineering Standards For Technical Control Facilities
311 - Technical Design Standards For Frequency Division Multiplexers
313 - Subsystem Design And Engineering Standards And Equipment Technical Design Standards For Long-Haul Communications Transversing Microwave Line-of-Sight (LOS) Radio And Tropospheric Scatter Radio
315 - Subsystem Design/Engineering & Equipment Technical Design Standards For Wire Systems
331 - Interoperability and Performance Standard for Video Teleconferencing
340 - Equipment Technical Design Standards for Voice Orderwire Multiplex
