Next Generation Information Communications Technology (5G)

Mission — Next Generation Information Communications Technology (5G) source

Fifth generation (5G) wireless networking is critical for U.S. defense modernization and modern warfare. The DoD is accelerating 5G adoption to operate effectively anywhere, anytime, even in contested environments, ensuring U.S. military superiority and national security. The Secretary of Defense 5G Wireless Networking Cross-Functional Team (5G CFT), mandated by Congress, accelerates 5G adoption across the DoD. The 5G CFT executes DoD's 5G policy, research, and acquisition activities, supporting the National Defense Strategy's objective to preserve command, control, and communications in a fast-paced battlefield. The DoD is leveraging 5G for military applications, from improving coverage on installations to deploying tactical communications in austere environments. The DoD will continue developing advanced 5G network architectures, implementing cybersecurity and zero trust enhancements, and investing in open radio access network (RAN) prototyping to inform secure 6G system designs, expanding RAN intelligent controller capabilities.

Mission — Next Generation Information Communications Technology (5G) source

Purpose: This program supports the Department's mission to achieve peace through strength by restoring the warrior ethos and trust in our military, rebuilding our military by matching threats to capabilities, and reestablishing deterrence by defending our homeland. The Department of Defense (DoD) Next Generation (FutureG) Information Communications Technologies (ICT) program will conduct large-scale experimentation and prototyping of fifth-generation (5G) and future-generation (FutureG) cellular network technology for military uses. The program will adopt, adapt, and advance on commercial technologies for asymmetric warfighter advantage and research and develop wireless innovations to meet DoD technical and capability requirements. Approach: • Leverage and advance 5G/FutureG capability to deliver asymmetric operational warfighting advantage over China. • Rebuild US leadership in 5G/FutureG for strategic advantage in economic/information competition. • Leverage and drive increasing overlap between commercial mobile network capabilities and warfighting needs. • Deliver high availability systems with security assurance in all DoD operational settings. • Provide the communications fabric required to achieve Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control w/ Allies & Partners and ensure that both near-term and future generations of information and communications technologies will be capable of supporting US military and national security objectives. Program Partners: DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) and CIO 5G Cross Functional Team (CFT) Combatant Commands, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allied Command Transformation, Military Services and DoD Agencies Interagency – Department of Energy (DOE), Intelligence Community (IC), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Security Administration (NSA), State, Department of Justice (DOJ), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards (NIST), National Safety Security Council (NSSC), Department of State (DOS), Department of Commerce (DOC), and 5G Interagency Policy Committee (IPC) Industry – Over 300 U.S. companies and academic institutions including national/global communications providers, communication equipment manufacturers, elements of the defense industrial base, innovative small businesses and members of the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC) and Information Warfare Rapid Prototyping (IWRP)consortium and the Open RAN Policy Coalition (ORPC).

Mission — 5G Cross Functional Team source

Same as program level mission description.

Mission — Expeditionary and Tactical Use source

Provide innovation that enables commercial network technologies in tactical operations: 1) develop scalable, interoperable, and resilient warfighting networks that support Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control; 2) develop integrated heterogenous warfighting networks composed of commercial cellular and traditional military equipment. When able, expeditionary and tactical projects will be evaluated in a deployed expeditionary environment over tactical 5G infrastructure with operationally relevant numbers of users and geographic scale. The prototyping and experimentation project at Marine Corps Logistical Base Albany (MCLBA) transitioned 5G enabled Smart Warehouse Capability while Naval Station Norfolk transitioned a shipboard wireless network architecture design to Military Sealift Command. Similarly, the 5G Expeditionary Advanced Based Operations (EABO) experiment at Camp Pendleton will culminate on schedule having successfully transitioned tactical 5G experimentation capability to the Marine Corps. Current efforts will continue to leverage scalable, interoperable, and resilient warfighting networks that support Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control. Future efforts will optimize within the constraints of standards by investing early in relevant areas ahead of commercial markets and commencing seedling research in artificial intelligence. The Army Tactical Mobility project is a cost effective, combat-ready 5G On-The-Move (OTM) Command and Control (C2) capability that meets latency, throughput, range, and resiliency objectives. This program will address operational needs and future Secure Cellular Program requirements for survivability of Army networks to include the distributed Command Post (i.e., mobility, dispersion, concealment). Additionally, in partnership with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence, the Scalable Interoperable Resilient-5G (SIR-5G) initiative employs 5G secure roaming, Radio Access Network (RAN) Sharing, and internetworking to provide a -5G warfighting network that NATO allies can directly procure as they increase their defense spending.

Mission — Ubiquitious, Secure, and Instant Access source

Deliver high availability wireless communication systems with security assurance across all DoD operational settings: 1) exploit the growing DoD diversity, coalition, and commercial communication option to provide high-availability secure communication; 2) provide wireless network risk assessment tools and mitigations that inform operational decision-making. Prototyped and/or enhanced capabilities will be based on technologies such as anomaly detection and zero-trust policy enforcement to maximize availability and resilience for wireless connectivity; multi-networking across wired and wireless systems for finding and exploiting alternate paths and redundant paths to ensure secure and reliable communication; Radio Access Network (RAN) Sharing that leverage commercial and private mobile network operators; and 5G non-terrestrial networks that use satellite, drones, and other low-altitude airborne vehicles to provide connectivity. These technologies will enable warfighters to access mobile communications anywhere they operate leveraging existing commercial 5G infrastructure and enhanced 5G network security architectures. Current efforts will leverage world-wide high availability commercial networks for assured and resilient DoD communications. Future efforts will build on today’s developments in non-terrestrial networks toward multi-layer non-terrestrial networks that will provide ubiquitous access to communication and compute.

Mission — Resilient and Open Commercial Solutions source

Continue to research and leverage Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) commercial technologies to accelerate critical DoD enterprise and mission capabilities and support the ability to fully leverage secure and resilient next generation networks. Support commercially sustainable advancements that deliver military and industry impact using open systems. DoD will conduct active and passive security vulnerability assessments of 5G prototypes in order to support zero-trust security designs for military 5G applications. Funding will be used to develop policies, regulations, and standards for streamlined deployment of protected, resilient Government and commercial networks and continue development of Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) standards and technologies that accelerate the adoption of open interfaces, interoperable subsystems, and modular, multi-vendor solutions, as well as leverage new technology components to create new ICT systems.

Mission — Integrated Sensing and Communications source

Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) programs will launch around major topic areas. These topic areas are selected through extensive collaboration with both industry and academia to understand the current state of technology. Generally, those areas are built around sensing systems with the ability to communicate, and communications systems with the ability to sense. Research continues into capabilities utilizing ambient signals for object and event detection, and how to apply the capability at network and enterprise levels. Lab-based fundamental research demonstrations are planned to assess ISAC utility within DoD. Capabilities developed under the ISAC portfolio can directly support emerging requirements around Golden Dome for America.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (6)