Broadband  |  2023-11-01

Lockheed Martin Brings Advanced Communications Out Of The Lab And Into The Field

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

For the first time, Lockheed Martin demonstrated its Hybrid 5G-Tactical Mesh Network live in a multi-domain environment.

For the first time, Lockheed Martin demonstrated its Hybrid 5G-Tactical Mesh Network live in a multi-domain environment. This is a significant step toward ensuring the Department of Defense (DOD) has seamless access to critical information. Working with leading commercial technology companies, Lockheed Martin proved the integration of existing technologies with enhanced capabilities that provide superior advanced communications operations and management tools for military applications.

The 5G.MIL® Unified Network Solutions (UNS) were successfully tested across numerous mission simulations  to establish stability and suitability for use in Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) and Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2). The resilient 5G.MIL UNS tactical mesh network and Lockheed Martin’s AI Factory machine learning operations platform were critical to successfully deploying these AI-based capabilities.
 

Why it Matters
In this demonstration Lockheed Martin’s 5G.MIL UNS performed as a tactical and commercial multi-node hybrid network for land, air and space domains—demonstrating system capabilities, performance and operations for customers in a field setting—and achieving Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6+, meaning it is a fully functional prototype model. The deployed hybrid network included five hybrid base stations with 5G, tactical datalinks and space backhaul. Fifteen individual capabilities were demonstrated across mission scenarios, covering interoperability, resilience, security and operations. This exercise provided an opportunity to stress test the maturity and resilience of the independent hybrid network in a mission relevant scenario.

5G.MIL UNS Harnesses Advanced Commercial Technology

Lockheed Martin’s solutions deploy, orchestrate and manage enhanced commercially available technologies from multiple embedded collaborators, including:

  • Intel’s FlexRAN™ reference software and processor capabilities.
  • Verizon’s adapted Mobile Onsite Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solution and Single Pane of Glass (SPoG) Network Management tool.
  • Microsoft’s Azure Orbital Cloud Access (AOCA), Microsoft's solution for cloud-to-edge via SATCOM, and Azure Government cloud environment at Impact Level 4 (IL4).
  • Juniper Networks’ Session Smart Router (SSR) technology and the 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC).
  • Keysight’s RF planning, configuration and optimization tools.
  • Radisys’ End-to-end 5G Network Software.

 

Dan Rice, vice president, 5G.MIL UNS Programs, Lockheed Martin:
“To stay ahead of evolving security challenges, military commanders need fast, secure access to critical information for decision superiority, no matter the circumstances. Collaborating with commercial and defense technology leaders is a key component of Lockheed Martin’s 21st Century Security vision and accelerates our delivery of secure 5G.MIL® Unified Network Solutions to enable prompt, data-driven decisions across all operational domains.”

George Riggins, vice president, Public Sector Technology, Verizon:
“We are proud of our strong relationship with Lockheed Martin and our work to successfully leverage innovations using 5G technology to produce new capabilities that will benefit the defense of our nation. By allowing users to transition between private, public and managed service networks, we are delivering reliable, mission critical connectivity so they can continue their mission across a wide range of environments."

 

What’s Next?
Lessons learned from this field demonstration are already being incorporated into Lockheed Martin 5G.MIL UNS. The company will continue to work with commercial collaborators toward an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2024. For more information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/5G.