DoD seeking 5G technology proposals

The Department of Defense (DoD) announced Wednesday that it will issue a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) in November targeting 5G technology large-scale experimentation and prototyping.

“History is replete with examples of the DoD partnering with the private sector to foster innovation and collaboratively bring leap-ahead technology to the forefront,”
Lisa Porter, deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said. “The DoD wants our American industry to lead in 5G. A strong American economy is vital to our national security. We will never let up on our commitment to continuously innovate with our partners in the private sector, as well as with our partners across the government.”

The DoD said it envisions the draft RFP would factor into the creation of a final RFP planned for December, acknowledging the timing depends on passage of a 2020 defense appropriations bill.

The first round of opportunities will focus on three areas. The first area of focus will be establishing a dynamic spectrum sharing testbed to demonstrate the capability to use 5G in congested environments with high-power, mid-band radars. The second will be on the integration of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality into mission planning and training in both virtual and live environments on training ranges. The last focus will include Smart Warehouses to leverage 5G’s ability to enhance logistics operations and maximize throughput.

Installations selected for testing and experimentation will provide streamlined access to site spectrum bands, mature fiber and wireless infrastructure, access to key facilities, support for new or improved infrastructure requirements, and the ability to conduct controlled experimentation with dynamic spectrum sharing.