FutureG
Pentagon sets November timeline for largest-ever spectrum sharing demo
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is planning to host the largest-ever spectrum sharing demonstration with industry in November, an official from the Pentagon’s FutureG office revealed Wednesday, in hopes of answering key questions amid a contentious debate.
“The real gap that we’ve had in these past spectrum sharing projects has been scale. They’ve been frankly under-resourced concepts on a table, maybe in a lab, maybe one or two outdoor experiments here and there. But nothing at this scale, which is a large-scale, multi-domain spectrum-sharing demonstration,” Tom Rondeau said during a panel at the Apex Defense Conference. “So that’s the really exciting part.”
Pentagon’s FutureG Office gearing up for new prototyping effort
The National Defense Education Program (NDEP) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is now on Grants.gov, announcement HQ0034-20-S-FO01. The Department of Defense (DoD) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs. The Department intends to award multiple grants, subject to the availability of funds. Activities will support the DoD STEM strategic plan and align to the 2018 Federal STEM strategic plan. Suspense for applications is 24 FEB 2020.
DOD preparing for first large-scale demonstration of spectrum-sharing tech in 2025
As Pentagon officials continue advocacy to prevent the military’s share of the electromagnetic spectrum from being sold to commercial industry, the Defense Department is looking to demonstrate emerging dynamic spectrum-sharing capabilities before the end of the year.
In December 2024, the DOD’s Office of the Chief Information Officer published a solicitation for the Advanced Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Demonstration, which called for industry technology that could allow the Pentagon and private sector to simultaneously use the same spectrum band. The department is currently evaluating proposals for source selection and intends to conduct the demonstration in November 2025, Tom Rondeau, principal director for the FutureG office, said Wednesday.
DoD’s FutureG Office Exploring Drone Detection Capabilities
The Department of Defense’s (DoD) FutureG Office is exploring how new features of 6G wireless technologies can help to sense drones in a network’s environment, according to Deputy Principal Director Marlan Macklin.
At the Elastic Public Sector Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 19, Macklin shared that his unofficial title is “FutureG’s hype man.” His office – which sits within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering – is responsible for the strategic assessment and research and development of FutureG technologies.
DOD Focus on 6G Concept to Help Sense Drones
An early use case for 6G could give the Pentagon improved capabilities to sense drones in the environment surrounding a network.
Unpacking the Fight for the Spectrum Band & Its Link to 5G, FutureG
The battle over electromagnetic spectrum allocation has long been a contentious issue between the Department of Defense and commercial industry. This “spectrum war” has only intensified as advancements like 5G and the prospects of futureG technologies hinge on access to mid-band spectrum, a finite and highly desirable resource. For government contractors, understanding this fight is crucial, as it directly impacts projects related to national security, telecommunications and technological innovation.
Pentagon’s Dr. Tom Rondeau on 2 Recent, Modern 5G Moves at DOD
5G networks provide a potentially more covert foundation for military communications because they use a greater range of the electromagnetic spectrum than other comms systems. With 5G, users tap into the millimeter wave in the tens of gigahertz, the Department of Defense’s Dr. Thomas Rondeau told Federal News Network, while futureG (the forthcoming, as-yet-unrealized successor to 5G) is targeting frequencies in the 7GHz to 24GHz range.
Federal Executive Forum 5G Strategies in Government Progress and Best Practices 2024
5G continues to provide benefits and introduce new opportunities for achieving agency missions. How are agencies profiling a successful 5G strategy and what is the vision for the future?
During this webinar, you will gain the unique perspective of top government technology experts:
- Dr. Tom Rondeau, Principal Director for FutureG, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Department of Defense
- Juan Ramirez, Director, 5G Cross Functional Team, Office of the CIO, Department of Defense
- Retired Capt. Bryan Lopez, Director of Emerging Technologies, Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer
- Bryan Schromsky, Associate Director, 5G Public Sector Architect Team, Verizon Business Group
- Steve Vogelsang, Chief Technology Officer, Nokia Federal Solutions
- Chris Christou, Senior Vice President, Brightlabs, Chief Technology Office, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Moderator: Luke McCormack, Host of the Federal Executive Forum
Panelists also will share lessons learned, challenges and solutions, and a vision for the future.
US DoD places bets on open RAN-based architecture
LIVE FROM MWC LAS VEGAS 2024: The US Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies are standing behind open RAN as the backbone of next generation communication systems.
Dr. Tom Rondeau, principal director for FutureG, DoD, explained government agencies are collaborating with universities and telecommunications companies to develop software-defined open RAN-based networks.
The Role of AI in 5G Technology with Dr. Tom Rondeau
This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Dr. Tom Rondeau, Principal Director of FutureG, to discuss the complexities and innovations behind wireless communications, from the defense applications of 5G to the groundbreaking potential of 6G. Tom shares his insights on the role of AI in wireless technology, the importance and challenges of interoperability within NATO, and the potential of open-source platforms in driving wireless innovation. Tune in to this eye-opening conversation on the seemingly “invisible” role this technology plays in the world of defense and beyond.