Defense Department announces military bases for 5G testing

The U.S. Department of Defense announced the U.S. military installations that will be used to test 5G technology.

The bases picked include Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington; Hill Air Force Base in Utah; Naval Base San Diego; and Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, Ga.

The four bases were chosen due to their ability to provide streamlined access to site spectrum bands. They were also found to have 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.

The Defense Department plans to issue a draft request for proposals (RFP) in November. Information gleaned from the draft RFP will factor into the creation of a final RFP. The final RFP is planned to come out in December, though the timing will depend on the passage of a 2020 defense appropriations bill.

The Defense Department will hold an industry day before issuing the final RFP.

Going forward, the Defense Department plans to add new opportunities every quarter, pending funds availability. The first round of opportunities will focus on establishing a dynamic spectrum sharing testbed to demonstrate the capability to use 5G in congested environments with high-power, mid-band radars. It will also focus on integrating augmented reality and virtual reality into mission planning and training in both virtual and live environments on training ranges. Further, they will also focus on smart warehouses to leverage 5G’s ability to enhance logistics operations.