Network eXperimentation Framework
Software-Defined RF Network Simulation
ACRE NXF is a framework for testing and validating networked RF systems, from protocol development to full hardware-in-the-loop simulation, and integrated into virtual environments, all without deploying physical hardware,
From IDI-Systems, the team behind ACRE
NXF (Network eXperimentation Framework) is the simulation and testing pillar of ACRE — the Advanced Combat Radio Environment — IDI-Systems' platform for modeling, emulating, and testing RF communications. Already deployed in active defense programs, NXF replaces racks of physical radios and RF channel emulators with containerized virtual modems that run on any machine with Docker.
The framework covers the full RF link pipeline: propagation, waveform modeling, signal degradation, and the OSI network stack. A networked IPC layer couples virtual modems to 3D simulation engines like Unreal Engine for software/hardware-in-the-loop scenarios with virtual environment-aware RF propagation.
A custom Docker network plugin bridges existing containerized applications onto emulated RF links with zero code changes, so software such as a C2 system or a vehicle's comms stack can be tested under controlled RF conditions. A dedicated benchtop network carries simulated RF traffic between any number of virtual modems, on one machine or many.
Virtual RF modems, a networked IPC layer for simulation engine coupling, and a Docker network plugin for connecting existing applications.
Extensible, containerized RF modem emulations that model real-world radio behavior. Configurable channel simulation, rate limiting, mesh networking, and analytics come paired with a built-in benchtop harness for automated testing at scale.
Network-capable inter-process communication that couples virtual modems to 3D simulation engines like Unreal Engine across machines, labs, or cloud instances.
A Docker network driver that bridges containerized applications into simulated RF networks using the standard Docker workflow, without application modifications.
Explore each component in depth in Capabilities ↓
Full-stack RF network emulation: channel simulation, mesh networking, real-time simulation coupling, security, analytics, and containerized deployment.
Configurable per-source bit error rate with stochastic corruption, multi-band support, and real-time link condition adjustment during test execution.
Full mesh stack with peer discovery, association, multi-hop routing, reliable delivery, and dynamic topology that emulates real tactical radio behavior.
Real-time coupling with 3D simulation engines via networked IPC. Position-aware RF propagation, antenna modeling, and multi-language APIs.
Multi-layer security across the framework: frame-level encryption on the mesh, DTLS on the IPC layer, and service set validation for peer authentication.
Real-time telemetry streaming with per-peer statistics, route table snapshots, and frame-level metrics.
Pure software, no specialized hardware. Containerized virtual modems ship with pre-built scenario templates for common topologies.
NXF is in active use by military customers and prime contractors. Teams developing manned-unmanned teaming links use NXF to model degradation, handoff behavior, and mesh resilience across contested RF environments before flight testing. Ground vehicle programs validate multi-node mesh networks under electronic warfare conditions, terrain masking, and convoy mobility.
Programs also use NXF to emulate candidate radio hardware virtually, comparing link performance and throughput across modem configurations to down-select hardware before committing to procurement. Moving RF network testing earlier in the development cycle reduces dependence on scarce hardware and test range time, and surfaces integration issues well before fielding.
Test tactical networking, avionics datalinks, and UAV communication systems against realistic, controllable RF conditions before fielding. NXF emulates MANET behavior with TDMA access, multi-band operation, and pre-shared key encryption, mirroring the link-layer characteristics of tactical radios and airborne waveforms.
Validate mesh protocols, IoT gateway architectures, and private network deployments before committing to hardware. NXF lets you model link budget constraints with rate limiting and BER injection across any topology, from sparse sensor fields to dense urban mesh.
Couple NXF virtual modems with your simulation environment in real-time. The built-in networked IPC layer handles the transport between engine and modems.
Real-time transport built on WebRTC data channels, with publish/subscribe messaging between simulation components.
Receive 3D position, velocity, and orientation vectors from simulation entities. Calculate distance-based attenuation and BER from antenna characteristics. RF propagation responds to entity movement in real-time.
Integrate from C++, Python, or C, with native bindings for each language.
Ships with schemas for RF events, antenna modeling, and acoustic propagation. Payloads can use any encoding: Protocol Buffers, JSON, or custom formats.
Built-in NAT traversal enables geographically distributed test environments. Connect simulation engines running in different facilities, labs, or cloud regions to a single coordinated scenario.
Automatic connection negotiation and topic discovery. Clients subscribe to data streams and receive updates as simulation components come and go.
NXF is pure software and runs on infrastructure you already have, from a developer laptop to cloud instances, with no RF channel emulators or hardware radios to procure and schedule. Test runs are deterministic and repeatable across environments.
The framework is available for evaluation, project-specific deployment, or program-level licensing. Integration support and custom engineering services are available for teams adapting NXF to specific platforms, waveforms, or simulation environments.
Interested in evaluating NXF for your program? Send us a note about your project and we will follow up with evaluation and licensing details.