Over the past few years, 5G has become a game-changing technology in the commercial sector. Included in smartphones and tablets, it can allow for fast internet speeds away from the user’s home wifi network. Now, Lockheed Martin plans to bring this technology to the Department of Defense.
Announced Wednesday, Lockheed Martin is partnering with Keysight Technologies to develop 5G.MIL, a testbed for military communications through ground and space-based networks.
Lockheed Martin is leveraging expertise in the commercial sector to scale, adapt and integrate 5G technology rapidly and affordably across mission-critical operations across land, sea, air, space and cyber domains. Keysight’s end-to-end 5G test platforms, widely used commercially, provide an opportunity to develop customized solutions that meet the stringent requirements of the defense industry.
Dan Rice, Vice President for 5G.MIL Programs at Lockheed Martin
The DoD has been interested in new communication solutions, even including SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. The addition of 5G solutions to communications between DoD assets and network infrastructure could be a big game-changer.
Keysight Technologies offers 5G expertise
To ensure 5G.MIL is resilient during its development and into a possible operational phase, Lockheed is partnering with Keysight. Keysight has extensive experience in testing 5G solutions, and they have signed a strategic collaboration memorandum of understanding to help develop the testbed.
Deployment of future-proof, seamless and secure communication links serving operations across ground, sea and air depends on the successful integration of 5G, satellite, unmanned aerial vehicle, artificial intelligence and cloud technologies. Leveraging Keysight’s portfolio of flexible, scalable, and fully automated test, measurement, verification and optimization tools, Lockheed Martin has implemented the most advanced testbed for 5G and hybrid networks that we have seen in the aerospace and defense industry.
Vince Nguyen, General Manager for Aerospace Defense Government Solutions at Keysight Technologies
The testbed reached operational capability in July. Now the two companies will work on including new capabilities and emerging research that support the needs of the DoD.
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