5G deployment plays a critical role in the current and future success of the U.S. economy, industry,and military. For this reason, a national strategy focusing on expediting the process is underway,including within the Department of Defense (DoD). As part of its FY2023 budget, the DoD allocated $250 million for 5G. Additionally, it has specifically noted the need to rapidly field 5G solutions in all areas of strategic development. This includes space, airborne- and ground-based networks, cybersecurity, maritime domain awareness, and global logistics management, among others.
The DoD is pouring much of its 5G investment into developing data-centric networks and weapons systems that communicate with each other. A portion of the budget is to go beyond 5G and researching next-generation technologies, including 6G. In short, wireless technology is becoming a vital piece of military and defense. The key is to deploy it as quickly as possible and to ensure its operation in the most challenging environments.
