IABG 5G Sidelink Tactical Dashboard

Real-time monitoring dashboard for OpenAirInterface 5G Sidelink Mode 2 tactical communications

🎯 Mission Overview

A military-grade tactical dashboard designed for monitoring OpenAirInterface (OAI) 5G Sidelink Mode 2 device-to-device (D2D) communications in defense and critical infrastructure scenarios where autonomous communications are mission-critical.

🎬 Video Demo

Watch the full demonstration: Sidelink_5G - Dashboard_IABG.mp4

🛡️ Tactical Use Case: Operation Desert Shield

Scenario: Border Patrol Mission

Mission Date: December 28, 2025
Location: Remote desert region, 50km from nearest cell tower
Units Deployed: Infantry Squad Alpha & Bravo
Communication Requirement: Secure, autonomous D2D link

Unit Deployment

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    TACTICAL THEATER                         │
│                                                             │
│   [Cell Tower]                                              │
│        │                                                    │
│        │ 50 km (No Coverage)                               │
│        ▼                                                    │
│   ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╗   │
│   ║        AUTONOMOUS OPERATION ZONE                  ║   │
│   ║                                                   ║   │
│   ║   🔴 UNIT ALPHA           🔵 UNIT BRAVO          ║   │
│   ║   (SyncRef UE)            (Nearby UE)            ║   │
│   ║   Position: Checkpoint    Position: Patrol       ║   │
│   ║   Role: Command           Role: Field Recon      ║   │
│   ║                                                   ║   │
│   ║              ◄──── 2.6 GHz Sidelink ────►       ║   │
│   ║                   Direct PC5 Link                ║   │
│   ║                   Range: 500m                    ║   │
│   ║                                                   ║   │
│   ║   Status: ✅ OPERATIONAL                         ║   │
│   ║   Link Quality: 100% EXCELLENT                   ║   │
│   ║   Packets TX: 563,468 | RX: 563,373             ║   │
│   ║   Success Rate: 100%                             ║   │
│   ║                                                   ║   │
│   ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝   │
│                                                             │
│   ⚠️  No gNB Available                                     │
│   ⚠️  No Core Network                                      │
│   ✅  Mission-Critical Comms: ACTIVE                       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Mission Timeline

T+00:00 - Deployment

Unit Alpha establishes position at checkpoint
Unit Bravo begins patrol route
Both units power on 5G sidelink devices

T+00:30 - Link Establishment

Unit Alpha (SyncRef) broadcasts PSBCH on 2.6 GHz
Unit Bravo detects S-PSS/S-SSS signals
Synchronization acquired: RSRP -45 dBm (Excellent)
Tactical link established: ✅ OPERATIONAL

T+00:31 - Mission Communications Begin

[UNIT ALPHA → UNIT BRAVO]
"Bravo, this is Alpha. Radio check, over."

[Dashboard Metrics]
PSBCH TX: 1,561 packets
PSSCH TX: 8,630 packets
Link Quality: 100%
Status: ✅ TACTICAL LINK ESTABLISHED

[UNIT BRAVO → UNIT ALPHA]
"Alpha, this is Bravo. Lima Charlie. Moving to grid reference 347892."

[Dashboard Metrics]
PSBCH RX: 581 packets (Synced: ✅ YES)
PSSCH RX: 5,614 packets
Decode Success: 100%

T+01:00 - Continuous Operations

Real-time position updates via sidelink
Situational awareness maintained
No dependency on infrastructure
Autonomous Mode: ACTIVE

T+02:30 - Mission Complete

Total packets exchanged: 1,126,841
Packet Error Rate: 0.00%
Mission Success: ✅ COMPLETE

🎖️ Key Advantages Demonstrated

✅ Infrastructure Independence

No Cell Tower Required: Operates 50km beyond coverage
No Core Network: Pure P2P communication
Autonomous Mode: Self-sufficient tactical network

✅ Reliability

100% Link Availability: Continuous operation throughout mission
Zero Packet Loss: 0.00% error rate
Excellent Signal Quality: RSRP -45 dBm

✅ Security

Direct D2D: No intermediary infrastructure to compromise
Low Probability of Intercept: Directional transmission
Tactical Frequencies: Military-grade spectrum (2.6 GHz configurable)

✅ Real-time Monitoring

Live Dashboard: Command center visibility
2-second Updates: Near real-time situational awareness
Comprehensive Metrics: PHY layer to application layer visibility

Research-Grade Charts

The dashboard includes IEEE-publication-ready visualizations:

Real-time throughput analysis
Signal quality trends
Channel frequency response
Protocol message flow diagrams

Perfect for:

📄 Academic papers (IEEE, ESA)
🎓 Research demonstrations
🛡️ Defense customer presentations
📊 Performance analysis reports

🚀 Features

Dashboard Capabilities

✅ Dual UE Monitoring - Simultaneous SyncRef + Nearby UE tracking
✅ Real-time Metrics - 2-second refresh interval
✅ PHY Layer Statistics - PSBCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, PSFCH monitoring
✅ Link Quality Indicators - RSRP, SINR, CQI, success rates
✅ Live Terminal Output - Direct log feed from both UEs
✅ Network Topology View - Visual link status representation
✅ Performance Graphs - Dynamic quality percentage bars
✅ Events Log - Timestamped system activities
✅ Tactical UI Design - Military-grade dark theme with IABG branding
✅ Defense Use Cases - Scenario-specific applications

Research-Grade Features (NEW)

✅ Real-Time Throughput Graphs - Bidirectional TX/RX monitoring for both UEs
✅ Signal Quality Trends - RSRP, SINR, CQI historical analysis
✅ Spectrum Visualization - Channel frequency response (FFT-style)
✅ Protocol Message Flow - Live sequence diagrams (Mermaid.js)
✅ Data Export - CSV export for academic publications
✅ Historical Data Storage - 4-minute rolling buffer (120 samples)
✅ Multi-Metric Charts - Chart.js powered visualizations

Technical Specifications

Sidelink Configuration:

Mode: 5G NR Sidelink Mode 2 (Autonomous)
Carrier Frequency: 2.6 GHz (configurable)
Bandwidth: 106 Resource Blocks
MCS: Up to 9 (dynamically adaptive)
TX Power: 23 dBm
Simulator: RFSIM (RF Simulator for software testing)

Supported Channels:

PSBCH (Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel)
PSCCH (Physical Sidelink Control Channel)
PSSCH (Physical Sidelink Shared Channel)
PSFCH (Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel)

📋 Prerequisites

System Requirements

OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / WSL2
RAM: 8GB minimum (16GB recommended)
Disk: 20GB free space
CPU: Multi-core processor (4+ cores recommended)

Software Dependencies

Python: 3.8+
Docker: Latest version
Docker Compose: Latest version
OAI 5G Sidelink: sl-release-1.0 branch

OAI Sidelink Installation

You must have OAI 5G Sidelink built and configured. Installation guide:

# Clone OAI repository
git clone https://gitlab.eurecom.fr/oai/openairinterface5g.git oai-5g-sidelink
cd oai-5g-sidelink

# Checkout sidelink branch
git checkout sl-release-1.0

# Build OAI with RFSIM support
cd cmake_targets
./build_oai --nrUE -w SIMU --ninja -c

Reference: OAI Sidelink Documentation

🔧 Installation

Method 1: Automated Installation (Recommended)

# 1. Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/shariquetelco/oai-sidelink-dashboard.git
cd oai-sidelink-dashboard

# 2. Run automated installer
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

The installer will:

✅ Check system requirements (OS, RAM, disk space)
✅ Verify dependencies (Python, Docker, Docker Compose)
✅ Install Python packages
✅ Build Docker image
✅ Create necessary directories
✅ Display usage instructions

Method 2: Docker Installation (Production)

Prerequisites

# Install Docker
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y docker.io docker-compose

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Logout and login for group changes to take effect

Build and Run

# 1. Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/shariquetelco/oai-sidelink-dashboard.git
cd oai-sidelink-dashboard

# 2. Build Docker image
docker-compose build

# 3. Start dashboard
docker-compose up -d

# 4. Check status
docker-compose ps
docker-compose logs -f

Docker Management Commands

# Start dashboard
docker-compose up -d

# Stop dashboard
docker-compose down

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f dashboard

# Restart dashboard
docker-compose restart

# Rebuild image
docker-compose build --no-cache

# Check health
curl http://localhost:5000/api/health

Method 3: Manual Installation (Development)

# 1. Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/shariquetelco/oai-sidelink-dashboard.git
cd oai-sidelink-dashboard

# 2. Install Python dependencies
pip3 install -r requirements.txt --break-system-packages

# Or use virtual environment (recommended for development)
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# 3. Run dashboard
python3 app.py

Environment Variables

Configure log file locations:

# Default locations (used if not specified)
export SYNCREF_LOG=~/syncref_sl.log
export NEARBY_LOG=~/nearby_ue_sl.log

# Custom locations
export SYNCREF_LOG=/custom/path/syncref.log
export NEARBY_LOG=/custom/path/nearby.log

For Docker, edit docker-compose.yml:

environment:
  - SYNCREF_LOG=/logs/custom_syncref.log
  - NEARBY_LOG=/logs/custom_nearby.log
volumes:
  - /custom/path/syncref.log:/logs/custom_syncref.log:ro
  - /custom/path/nearby.log:/logs/custom_nearby.log:ro

Verify Installation

# Check if dashboard is running
curl http://localhost:5000/api/health

# Expected response:
# {"service":"OAI Sidelink Dashboard","status":"ok"}

# Check Docker container
docker ps | grep sidelink

# View dashboard logs
docker-compose logs dashboard

💻 Usage

Step 1: Start OAI Sidelink UEs

Terminal 1 - Unit Alpha (SyncRef UE):

cd /path/to/oai-5g-sidelink/cmake_targets/ran_build/build

sudo LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$PWD:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH -E \
  ./nr-uesoftmodem \
  -O ../../../targets/PROJECTS/NR-SIDELINK/CONF/sl_sync_ref.conf \
  --sa \
  --sl-mode 2 \
  --sync-ref \
  --rfsim \
  --rfsimulator.serveraddr server \
  --rfsimulator.serverport 4048 \
  --log_config.global_log_options level,nocolor,time \
  2>&1 | tee ~/syncref_sl.log

Terminal 2 - Unit Bravo (Nearby UE):

cd /path/to/oai-5g-sidelink/cmake_targets/ran_build/build

sudo LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$PWD:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH -E \
  RFSIMULATOR=127.0.0.1 \
  ./nr-uesoftmodem \
  -O ../../../targets/PROJECTS/NR-SIDELINK/CONF/sl_ue1.conf \
  --sa \
  --sl-mode 2 \
  --rfsim \
  --rfsimulator.serverport 4048 \
  --log_config.global_log_options level,nocolor,time \
  2>&1 | tee ~/nearby_ue_sl.log

Step 2: Start Dashboard

Option A - Docker:

docker-compose up -d

Option B - Direct Python:

python3 app.py

Step 3: Access Dashboard

Open browser: http://localhost:5000

📊 Dashboard Sections

1. Network Topology

Visual representation of Unit Alpha ↔ Unit Bravo link
Real-time connection status
Infrastructure status indicators (gNB/Core offline)

2. Link Performance Metrics

Overall link quality percentage bar
PSSCH decode success statistics
PSBCH synchronization metrics
Packet Error Rate (PER)
Estimated throughput

3. Unit Cards (Alpha & Bravo)

Radio Parameters:

Carrier frequency
Bandwidth (Resource Blocks)
Modulation & Coding Scheme (MCS)
TX Power / RX Gain

PHY Layer Statistics:

Frame/Slot numbers
Channel-specific TX/RX counts:
- PSBCH (Broadcast)
- PSCCH (Control)
- PSSCH (Data)
- PSFCH (Feedback)
Success rates
Synchronization status

Link Quality:

RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power)
SINR (Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio)
CQI (Channel Quality Indicator)
Decode error counts

Live Terminal:

Real-time log output
Last 5 lines from UE logs
Color-coded for readability

4. Mission Events Log

Timestamped system events
Link establishment notifications
Quality alerts
Operational status changes

5. Tactical Use Cases

Infantry squad communications
Vehicle-to-vehicle coordination
Disaster relief operations
Border patrol mesh networks
Critical infrastructure monitoring
Military convoy coordination

🏗️ Architecture

See ARCHITECTURE.md for detailed system architecture diagrams.

High-level Overview:

Dashboard (Flask) → Log Parser → REST API → Web UI (Tactical Theme)
                        ↑
                        │
               Log Files (real-time)
                        ↑
                        │
            ┌───────────┴───────────┐
            │                       │
      Unit Alpha              Unit Bravo
      (SyncRef)               (Nearby)
            └───── RFSIM ──────┘
                  (Socket)

🔌 API Endpoints

Endpoint	Method	Description
`/`	GET	Main dashboard page
`/api/syncref`	GET	Unit Alpha metrics (JSON)
`/api/nearby`	GET	Unit Bravo metrics (JSON)
`/api/link_status`	GET	Overall link status (JSON)
`/api/events`	GET	Events log (JSON)
`/api/health`	GET	Health check

Example API Response

{
  "ue_type": "syncref",
  "status": "running",
  "frame": 128,
  "slot": 19,
  "psbch": {"tx": 58969, "rx_ok": 0, "rx_not_ok": 0},
  "pssch": {"tx": 563468, "rx_ok": 563373, "rx_not_ok": 0},
  "quality": {
    "quality": "EXCELLENT",
    "quality_level": 100,
    "rsrp": -45,
    "sinr": 25,
    "cqi": 15
  }
}

🎯 Defense & Critical Infrastructure Use Cases

Military Operations

✓ Infantry Squad Communications - No cell tower dependency
✓ Vehicle-to-Vehicle Tactical Data - Convoy coordination
✓ Special Operations - Covert communications
✓ Border Patrol - Mesh networks in remote areas
✓ Military Convoys - Real-time positioning

Emergency Response

✓ Disaster Relief - Operations when infrastructure is down
✓ Search & Rescue - Team coordination in remote areas
✓ First Responders - Fire/Police/Medical coordination
✓ Natural Disasters - Hurricane, earthquake response

Critical Infrastructure

✓ Oil Rigs & Platforms - Remote facility monitoring
✓ Ports & Harbors - Equipment coordination
✓ Mining Operations - Underground communications
✓ Power Plants - Emergency backup communications
✓ Maritime Operations - Ship-to-shore links

📁 Project Structure

oai-sidelink-dashboard/
├── app.py                          # Flask backend
├── Dockerfile                      # Container build
├── docker-compose.yml              # Orchestration
├── install.sh                      # Installation script
├── requirements.txt                # Python dependencies
├── .gitignore                      # Git exclusions
├── .dockerignore                   # Docker exclusions
├── README.md                       # This file
├── parsers/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   └── sidelink_parser.py          # Log parser module
├── static/
│   ├── css/
│   │   └── tactical.css            # Military-grade styling
│   ├── js/
│   │   └── dashboard.js            # Real-time updates
│   └── images/
│       └── IABG_Logo.png           # Company logo
├── templates/
│   └── tactical_dashboard.html     # Main UI
└── docs/
    ├── ARCHITECTURE.md              # System architecture
    ├── Sidelink_5G - Dashboard_IABG.mp4  # Video demo
    └── screenshots/
        └── dashboard_main.png       # Screenshot

🐛 Troubleshooting

Dashboard shows "OFFLINE" status

Problem: UE logs not found or UEs not running

Solution:

# Verify log files exist
ls -lh ~/syncref_sl.log ~/nearby_ue_sl.log

# Check if UEs are running
ps aux | grep nr-uesoftmodem

# Verify log file paths match
echo $SYNCREF_LOG
echo $NEARBY_LOG

No data updating

Problem: UEs not writing to logs

Solution:

# Check if logs are growing
tail -f ~/syncref_sl.log

# Restart UEs with proper logging
# (See Usage section for commands)

Port 5000 already in use

Problem: Another service using Flask's default port

Solution:

# Option 1: Change port in docker-compose.yml
ports:
  - "5001:5000"

# Option 2: Kill existing process
sudo lsof -ti:5000 | xargs kill -9

Link shows "DOWN" status

Problem: UEs not synchronized

Solution:

Start SyncRef UE first, wait for "Waiting for connection"
Then start Nearby UE
Verify RFSIM connection on port 4048
Check PSBCH RX count on Nearby UE (should increment)

🔄 Updates & Maintenance

Check Dashboard Logs

# Docker logs
docker-compose logs -f dashboard

# Direct Python logs
tail -f app.log

Update Dashboard

# Pull latest changes
git pull origin main

# Rebuild Docker image
docker-compose build

# Restart
docker-compose restart

📧 Contact

Ahmad Sharique

Position: Strategy Lead - 5G Division
Company: IABG mbH Munich
Email: ahmad@iabg.de
Personal: eshariq.am@gmail.com
GitHub: @shariquetelco
GitLab IABG: Ahmad

📄 License

For IABG internal use and authorized defense/critical infrastructure demonstrations.

🙏 Acknowledgments

OpenAirInterface (OAI) - 5G Sidelink implementation
EpiSci - Sidelink Mode 2 PHY/MAC development
IABG 5G Division - Testing, validation, and tactical use case development
EURECOM - OAI platform development

🔗 Related Projects & Resources

OAI 5G Sidelink Repository
OAI Sidelink Documentation
srsRAN 5G Dashboard (Related IABG project)
BDBOS KOMET Project

Built with ❤️ for tactical defense communications
Prepared by Ahmad Sharique, IABG CTSF 20

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 4 Commits
docs		docs
parsers		parsers
static		static
templates		templates
.dockerignore		.dockerignore
.gitignore		.gitignore
Dockerfile		Dockerfile
README.md		README.md
Sidelink 5G - Dashboard_IABG_.mp4		Sidelink 5G - Dashboard_IABG_.mp4
Sidelink how to use it.txt		Sidelink how to use it.txt
app.py		app.py
docker-compose.yml		docker-compose.yml
install.sh		install.sh
requirements.txt		requirements.txt

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IABG 5G Sidelink Tactical Dashboard

🎯 Mission Overview

🎬 Video Demo

🛡️ Tactical Use Case: Operation Desert Shield

Scenario: Border Patrol Mission

Unit Deployment

Mission Timeline

🎖️ Key Advantages Demonstrated

✅ Infrastructure Independence

✅ Reliability

✅ Security

✅ Real-time Monitoring

Research-Grade Charts

🚀 Features

Dashboard Capabilities

Research-Grade Features (NEW)

Technical Specifications

📋 Prerequisites

System Requirements

Software Dependencies

OAI Sidelink Installation

🔧 Installation

Method 1: Automated Installation (Recommended)

Method 2: Docker Installation (Production)

Prerequisites

Build and Run

Docker Management Commands

Method 3: Manual Installation (Development)

Environment Variables

Verify Installation

💻 Usage

Step 1: Start OAI Sidelink UEs

Step 2: Start Dashboard

Step 3: Access Dashboard

📊 Dashboard Sections

1. Network Topology

2. Link Performance Metrics

3. Unit Cards (Alpha & Bravo)

4. Mission Events Log

5. Tactical Use Cases

🏗️ Architecture

🔌 API Endpoints

Example API Response

🎯 Defense & Critical Infrastructure Use Cases

Military Operations

Emergency Response

Critical Infrastructure

📁 Project Structure

🐛 Troubleshooting

Dashboard shows "OFFLINE" status

No data updating

Port 5000 already in use

Link shows "DOWN" status

🔄 Updates & Maintenance

Check Dashboard Logs

Update Dashboard

📧 Contact

📄 License

🙏 Acknowledgments

🔗 Related Projects & Resources

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