At the heart of this advancement is the integration of Northrop Grumman's secure communications solution with an augmented reality (AR) headset. This technology was utilized by an aircraft maintainer to transfer high-volume, classified aircraft data across SEMPRE's 5G private network and AT&T's expansive 5G commercial network. The data journey spanned significant distances, connecting Whiteman Air Force Base with Northrop Grumman facilities in Palmdale, California, and San Diego.
Jenna Paukstis, Vice President General Manager, Networked Information Solutions at Northrop Grumman, emphasized the critical nature of this development: "In a combat environment, the ability to quickly troubleshoot aviation and ground vehicles to get them back in the fight is essential. The 'Flightline of the Future' is a next-generation digital solution providing U.S. forces with the capability to securely access information and subject matter experts right on the flightline to repair assets with speed and accuracy, reducing costs and increasing fleet readiness."
Lance Spencer, Client Executive Vice President, Defense at AT&T, highlighted the role of 5G technology in this endeavor: "We showcased how our commercial 5G wireless network combined with private networking services can transport and protect both Highly Classified information and Controlled Unclassified Information and provide the U.S. Department of Defense the networking foundation it needs for private mission use cases. The speed, security, reliability, and scalability benefits are precisely what the Department seeks in its modernization efforts."
Dr. Rob Spalding, Chief Executive Officer at SEMPRE, discussed the deployable infrastructure's significance: "This demonstration proves advanced capabilities will be available to DoD units for deployed and in garrison requirements. SEMPRE's deployable infrastructure helps Northrop Grumman deliver hardened connectivity and compute capability to the warfighter, even when the connection to the cloud is no longer available."
The "Flightline of the Future" concept represents a significant leap in military technology, allowing aircraft maintainers to securely connect with experts for maintenance and upgrades, a task previously restricted to secure locations. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also ensures a high level of security and reliability in data handling.
Furthermore, the demonstration underlined how the combination of commercially available AR headsets with commercial and private 5G networks can support defense-specific security solutions and processes. This integration of technology demonstrates a best-of-breed solution that can be applied across various domains, providing a template for future innovations in military and defense operations.
Related Links
Northrop Grumman
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