#149 Update on 5G in the Department of Defense
Subscribe to get the latest
on Wed Aug 02 2023 17:00:00 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)
with Leland Brown, Darren W Pulsipher,
In this episode, Darren reunites with Leland Brown, a principal engineer at Capgemini and a previous guest on the show, to discuss the upcoming advancements of 5G technology in the US Department of Defense.
Keywords
Listen Here
History of Advanced Comms in DoD
In this piece, Leland shares his experience working with the Department of Defense in the early 2000s. At the time, the goal was to implement commercial technologies for military use, with a focus on 2G, 3G, wireless LAN, and Bluetooth. However, the adoption strategy faced challenges due to proprietary architectures and fragmented solutions.
Fast forward to 2016, and the emergence of 5G offered new optimism for a unified, standardized technology architecture. Leland explains that the Department of Defense has been exploring the potential use cases of 5G, particularly in areas like tactical radio services, command and control, and multi-domain operations. The objective is to develop a common radio architecture that can be employed by every branch of the military.
Despite past frustrations and challenges, Leland highlights the importance of collaboration and adherence to common standards for the successful implementation of 5G in the Department of Defense. While some system integrators may prioritize proprietary solutions for their own benefit, Leland emphasizes the necessity of technology that works for the soldiers and supports joint forces operations. In this piece, Leland shares his experience working with the Department of Defense in the early 2000s. At the time, the goal was to implement commercial technologies for military use, with a focus on 2G, 3G, wireless LAN, and Bluetooth. However, the adoption strategy faced challenges due to proprietary architectures and fragmented solutions.
Fast forward to 2016, and the emergence of 5G offered new optimism for a unified, standardized technology architecture. Leland explains that the Department of Defense has been exploring the potential use cases of 5G, particularly in areas like tactical radio services, command and control, and multi-domain operations. The objective is to develop a common radio architecture that can be employed by every branch of the military.
Despite past frustrations and challenges, Leland highlights the importance of collaboration and adherence to common standards for the successful implementation of 5G in the Department of Defense. While some system integrators may prioritize proprietary solutions for their own benefit, Leland emphasizes the necessity of technology that works for the soldiers and supports joint forces operations.
Changes to technology Adoption
It’s exciting to witness the changes brought by Tom Rando in the Department of Defense’s 5G adoption strategy. He made significant changes by advocating for the deployment and use of 5G in real-world scenarios, not just experimentation.
Under his leadership, the Department of Defense launched the 5G Request for Prototype Proposal in 2019, which received $600 million worth of funding for the first tranche of projects in 2020. The program aims to drive 5G technology adoption and explore its capabilities for military applications.
The software-defined virtualized architecture of 5G was one of the key aspects that attracted the Department of Defense. It allowed for the deployment of multiple waveforms on one hardware, providing flexibility and scalability. Additionally, the utilization of unlicensed bands and the open architecture of 5G gave the Department of Defense more control and flexibility, especially during war scenarios.
The adoption of 5G by the Department of Defense was a significant shift in their technology approach, recognizing the benefits that commercial offerings could bring and investing heavily in their deployment. With Tom Rando leading the way, the Department of Defense is determined to leverage 5G for military applications.
We can expect to see 5G deployments in the Department of Defense soon, moving away from experimentation in the labs to deploying systems that are ready for use. This shift in approach is driven by the need to stay ahead in the 5G technology race and to address geopolitical forces that require deployable solutions.
5G Architectural Adoption
The Department of Defense (DOD) is now adopting the o-ran architecture concept, which presents opportunities for smaller companies and startups to contribute to the development of 5G technology. By moving away from proprietary systems, collaboration between larger and smaller players in the industry is encouraged, and more flexibility is allowed.
The development of deployable solutions for both the commercial and federal sectors is being driven by funding and use case requirements. The ultimate goal is not just revenue, but to add value for the entire nation. The DOD understands the significance of using proven technology from commercial use and adapting it for their communications.
There are three tracks that will lead to real 5G deployments in the DOD in terms of timelines. The first track involves transitioning from experimentation sites to DOD CIO office environments and programs. The second track focuses on hardening solutions in three key areas: unlimited software-defined radio platforms, hyperdimensional software-defined networking, and mobile IP protocol.
Deployable Solutions
Gemini, in partnership with Intel and other OEMs and software developers, is among the companies that have already started working on deployable solutions. They are ready to present their solutions and contribute to the goal of moving towards practical deployments and away from experimentation.
The shift towards deployable 5G systems in the DOD is driven by the need to stay competitive and address national security concerns. The involvement of smaller players and startups brings innovation and agility to the development process. Significant milestones are expected in October, and we can expect to see real progress in 5G deployments within the DOD soon.
In a podcast episode, Leland discusses the maturity of technology and its readiness for deployment in the battlefield. He confirms that the technology is mature enough to be put into action, and the only challenge lies in the interoperability between functional blocks. Leland stresses the importance of interoperability and highlights the issue between the RAN unit and the DU unit. Additionally, he notes that there are currently very few US-based radio developers capable of tackling this challenge.
Building the Skills for Advanced Comms
For graduates with a background in electrical engineering or signal processing, it is suggested to focus on addressing the interoperability gap. There is a great need in this area and it presents a wonderful opportunity for innovation, according to Leland.
Leland anticipates that deployable solutions will be available by 2024, thanks to the efforts of the OSD in driving the deployment of these technologies. He expresses excitement for the progress made thus far in the industry and acknowledges that it has taken 18 years to get here.
Leland also mentions the partnership between Intel and Cap Gemini as a significant step in driving solutions and expresses willingness to collaborate with other ecosystem partners. He concludes the podcast on an optimistic note, expressing determination to make the deployment of these technologies a reality.
Overall, Leland’s insights provide valuable information about the current state of technology in the military sector and the potential opportunities for young professionals in the field.