5G Tech Revolutionizes Logistical Operations

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The US Department of Defense successfully demonstrated an advanced 5G network for logistics modernization exclusively designed and built in the United States. 

The very high speed and ultra-low latency capabilities realized by 5G, and the specialized equipment built to handle them, will deliver significant enhancements in the operation of autonomous vehicles for inventory management, machine learning for inventory tracking, and augmented/virtual reality applications for improved workforce efficiency in warehouse operations in support of the DOD.

The $90 million prototype, Smart Warehouse Technology Early Capabilities Demonstration, delivered high-speed downloads of 1.5 Gbps and sub 15 msec latency using 380 MHz of spectrum in the mid-band and mmWave. Once completed, the prototype will deploy in Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia as a private 5G network and use up to 750 MHz of available bandwidth for higher performance.

The project is part of the DOD 5G-to-Next G Initiative (5GI), overseen by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. 

The prototype 5G network is built on the next generation of Open Radio Network standards and designed to comply with DOD specifications for zero-trust architecture for native security and secure connectivity with other networks. These standards and the approach to network design recognize the increasingly ubiquitous presence of connected devices in the Internet of Things era and their growing risks to the security of systems and networks.

The 5G Initiative consists of three “thrusts”: Accelerate – to stimulate the use of 5G technology through experimentation and advanced prototyping of dual-use applications; Operate Through – to develop technology to secure 5G and enable the secure use of non-secure networks; and Innovate – to perform the research and development necessary to win at 6G and beyond, according to defense.gov.