Amid rising geopolitical tensions, the Pentagon is harnessing the power of 5G to enhance military communications capabilities.
The Office of FutureG, located in the Department of Defense’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, is deepening its focus on technologies needed to advance 5G, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.
5G network solutions are ideal for supporting AI-powered tools and IoT devices due to their high density, high bandwidth, and low latency. For AI, data collection and processing often must occur between edge devices and the cloud or data center.
Similarly, IoT requires network connectivity that can support a large number of connected devices within a unit space and low latency to process IoT data quickly. Currently, 5G connectivity is almost the only solution that provides all these capabilities.
To truly unlock the transformative potential of AI and IoT devices, it is critical that the Department of Defense securely expands its 5G communications infrastructure.
Security and privacy at the forefront
Security is a significant obstacle to military 5G deployment. Thomas Rondeau, principal director of FutureG at the Department of Defense, recently stated that the Department of Defense is working closely with industry partners to ensure low detection and interception probabilities and strengthen anti-jamming capabilities within compliant 5G systems. He said he is doing so.
Private sector partners and defense agencies can work together to add additional security capabilities for sensitive defense applications. The 5G environment will allow network adjustments and tuning to meet the needs of different services, including customized approaches to security. From responsive scanning, monitoring, and analysis to multi-network enterprise operations, protection and detection tools tailored to the needs of the Department of Defense can enhance critical military data and assets.
Secure identity and access management practices improve visibility across the 5G network and help manage 5G security risks. IT professionals should also strive to ensure that all software is up to date and free of vulnerabilities to reduce the risk of security breaches.
To further reduce the risk of security incidents, DoD cyber experts must prioritize continuous monitoring and analysis to detect hostile lateral movement. Additionally, the increasing risk of using quantum computing to decrypt encrypted data requires the Department of Defense to consider deploying quantum-resistant encryption across its 5G networks.
While security is definitely a legitimate concern, especially for an agency like the Department of Defense that deals with national defense issues, 5G networks utilize 256-bit encryption, which is a significant advantage over 4G networks. By implementing these comprehensive security protocols, the Department of Defense can take full advantage of 5G’s capabilities for communications and AI-powered applications.
Key considerations for leveraging the benefits of AI, IoT powered by 5G
5G enables real-time analytics and rapid data transfer, providing operational benefits to the defense sector through improved efficiency and decision-making.
Real-time situational awareness enables threat identification and effective response. It also improves the performance and accuracy of military resources, assets, and operations. For example, sensors and software enable remote control, self-guidance, and autonomous operation of military systems.
To take advantage of these benefits, the Department of Defense must take development and fielding steps to validate modern sensor network architectures and configurations and underlying security systems. The integration of 5G within satellite networks is another key technology area that the Department of Defense should leverage for effective mission operations.
Rapid data transfer and analysis leveraging IoT devices enables informed resource allocation and dispatching decisions, and also optimizes logistics. For example, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, GPS trackers, and smart containers enable inventory tracking, asset visibility, and demand forecasting.
IoT solutions can also monitor asset health status to enable preventive maintenance and reduce downtime. The Department of Defense can leverage 5G technology to enhance its IoT tracking and data analysis to provide more accurate and timely asset and logistics management. However, to optimize the value of IoT solutions and his 5G networks, the public and private sectors must continue to work together to equip the military with the best technological resources to defend against adversaries.
Enhancing “decision superiority” through public-private collaboration
In addition to a specialized understanding of industry-leading technology, civilian partners of defense agencies need a thorough understanding of the complexities of the Department of Defense’s needs and compliance standards.
Agility is another fundamental element of successful public-private collaboration. The telecommunications industry and his field of AI will continue to evolve rapidly. To ensure the military maintains and improves its “decision advantage,” all technology deployments must also consider future growth and technological advances.
5G will serve as an enabler for a wide range of future applications. Surveillance and reconnaissance with drones, sensors, goggles, and cameras provide real-time information on enemy movements. For employee health management, wearable sensors and biomarkers can track an individual’s health status, and wearable computers can enable secure and reliable voice and data transmission on his devices.
By implementing strategic 5G and adaptive network architectures, zero trust security for 5G and hybrid cloud infrastructure, and advanced IoT data analytics and machine learning solutions, the Department of Defense is leveraging these possibilities to improve You can achieve increased agility and performance.
Gary Wang is DMI’s Chief Technology Officer.
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