5G

The Defense Department’s 5G strategy is written with a sense of urgency: The nations “that master advanced communications technologies and ubiquitous connectivity will have a long-term economic and military advantage,” its unclassified, public pages read.

“We in the Navy, you know, we work at the edge, have been working at the edge since the 1700s,” the service’s chief digital innovation officer said.

The competition, conducted in collaboration with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, focuses on open interfaces, swappable and compatible parts, and the development of a diverse, multi-vendor community.

“Our battle space is all connected,” said David Rohall with Lockheed Martin. “No longer just does a soldier talk to the soldier next to him, but the soldier is talking to the airmen who may be flying above.”

Some fruits of the partnership were recently put to the test at Lockheed Martin Space’s 5G test range in Colorado.