During Potomac Officers Club’s 5G Summit, notable private and public sector executives will discuss the impact that innovative technologies and 5G integration have on the private and public sectors, the steps the federal agencies have taken to remain up to speed with the rapid advancement of technology, and the future programs, plans and priorities as the nation aligns with emerging technology.
Dr. Joe Evans, technical director for 5G, reporting directly to the under secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, will be featured as the keynote speaker.
Evans will be joined by Maj. Gen. Kimberly Crider, mobilization assistant to the chief of space operations with the Technology Innovation Office at the Department of the Air Force. Crider will also serve as a keynote speaker during the summit.
In March 2020, the White House released its National Strategy to Secure 5G of the United States to frame how the nation will safeguard 5G wireless infrastructure at home and across the globe. The new law directs the president to produce a strategy “to ensure security of next generation wireless communications systems and infrastructure,” within 180 days of its enactment.
5G wireless technology is anticipated to unleash unprecedented levels of connectivity between millions of new internet of things devices and there are already a range of deployments making their way across the U.S. and in a few federal agencies.
In Nov. 2020, House lawmakers voted unanimously to clear a bipartisan bill that would allot $750 million to support 5G technology deployment initiatives through a federal grant program under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
The USA Telecommunications Act calls for the formation of an advisory panel that will comprise government and industry representatives to assist the government with 5G-related grants.
Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said the bill comes as part of a push to identify alternatives to Chinese telecom products and promote competition among domestic network equipment vendors.
“That makes it hard for new competitors to break into the market, and currently there are no American vendors for the network equipment that fuels our wireless economy,” said Pallone, who serves as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
In addition, the Pentagon made $600 million in awards in early October to support 5G testing and experimentation projects with 15 companies at five U.S. military installations and Evans provided updates on those projects.
“The Department of Defense is at the forefront of cutting edge 5G testing and experimentation, which will strengthen our Nation’s warfighting capabilities as well as U.S. economic competitiveness in this critical field,” said Michael Kratsios, acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering and U.S. chief technology officer and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient.
As the DoD moves toward adaptation and integration of 5G technologies, The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which the House passed in Dec. 2020, will develop a 5G cross-functional team inside the Defense Department.
The NDAA will shift the 5G project from the research phase to an operational program. Following the DoD’s announcement of $600 million in funds to support 5G experiments at military bases across the nation, the experiments have the potential to become operational technologies.
If signed into law, the NDAA would direct the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, with support from the 5G cross-functional team, to create a plan for transitioning 5G wireless technology to operational use within the DoD.
Potomac Officers Club will also host two expert panels, “5G Space: The Ultimate Connected High Ground” Panel and “The DoD Journey to 5G” Panel, which will further address the integration and prioritization of 5G networks.
As emerging technologies continue to become an integral part of business and innovation, leaders across all divisions must stay ahead of the curve to tackle national and global issues.
Join Potomac Officers Club’s 5G Summit to hear notable federal and industry leaders further discuss emerging programs, priorities and challenges within the integration process of the new 5G framework.
To register for the 5G Summit, and view other upcoming events, visit Potomac Officers Club’s Event Page!
