In this thesis, an investigation into the feasibility and performance limits of QR code technology to enable secure air-gapped military communication was performed. Conducted in collaboration with Saab Training & Simulation, the research was motivated to improve traditional communication methods within the military, prone to security vulnerabilities. The study centered on QR code technology’s capability to transfer large volumes of military data efficiently, accurately, and securely between desktop systems and mobile platform systems without an active network or physical connection.

Using a quantitative experimental approach, the study derives the maximum data capacity transferable, the efficiency of encoding and decoding as well as the most suitable cryptographic protocol to secure QR-encoded data.

Employing a multiplexed color QR code system, the findings demonstrated that the QR code system could facilitate the transfer of up to 5906 bytes of data with an accuracy rate of 100%. However, the transmission accuracy decreases rapidly with larger datasets, as a result of color distortion and capture noise. Furthermore, the evaluation of XOR encryption, AES-128, and ChaCha20, found that AES-128 proved to provide a favorable balance between security and efficiency.

The presented work advances the understanding of QR code technology and its capacity within military communication. While the use of QR codes in this study highlights the potential to facilitate transmission of information for military use, the challenges with larger datasets necessitate further advancements and continued research to enhance QR code technology for broader application and practical deployment.