2024 5G Forum Panel Highlight: Everything You Need to Know About Operationalizing 5G For DoD Missions

The Potomac Officers Club will host the 2024 5G Forum, one of its most anticipated events this year, on May 22, 2024. The insightful event assembles top executives from the government and private sectors who are leading the charge in 5G advancements to address issues affecting the federal government.

The 2024 5G Forum aims to answer questions and provide solutions for securing a connected future, implementing responsible 5G use and improving civilian, public safety and critical government missions. 

 

What is the 2024 5G Forum?

 

The 2024 5G Forum is the fourth installment of the Potomac Officers Club’s series of events focused on next-generation communication technologies and their impact both on and off the battlefield.

Topics to be discussed include how 5G supports CJADC2, advanced edge computing, implementing responsible 5G use, enhancing warfighter capabilities and integrating 5G into Department of Defense networks.

Another highlight of the 2024 5G Forum is that it will feature seasoned defense leaders as keynote speakers. Kevin Mulvihill, Deputy CIO for C3 at the DoD Office of the Chief Information Officer, will deliver the opening keynote address, while Lt. Col. Benjamin Pimentel, Technical Lead for Expeditionary & Tactical Programs FutureG, will give the closing keynote speech.

Since the first edition of the 5G summit, POC has gathered notable leaders in 5G and emerging technologies whose expertise is paramount to the government’s goal of harnessing innovation to address complex challenges.

Additionally, the upcoming 2024 5G Forum will serve as a platform for the attendees and leaders to exchange perspectives and ideas on 5G and next-generation capabilities.

The 2024 5G Forum will occur on May 22, 2024, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at Falls Church Marriott, Fairview Park in Falls Church, Virginia. 

 

Related article: The 2024 5G Forum: A Comprehensive Event Guide and Why You Should Attend

 

Operationalizing 5G for DoD Missions Panel: What Should Participants Expect?

 

One of the panel discussions at the 2024 5G Forum is titled Operationalizing 5G for DoD Missions. This session will focus on the impact of 5G connectivity in enhancing present and future warfighter training, reconnaissance and combat capabilities.

Moreover, the panel speakers will discuss key takeaways from early 5G deployments, how 5G will be integrated into DoD networks, the next 5G deployments and how previous successful missions be replicated for future mission sets.

Leland Brown, Christopher Yaw and Joe Pishock were selected as the panel speakers for their extensive professional backgrounds in 5G and next-generation connectivity and valuable industry insights.

Learn more about the three speakers participating in the Operationalizing 5G For DoD Missions panel below:

 

Leland Brown, Federal Director and Principal Engineer at Capgemini

 

Leland Brown is the Federal Director and Principal Engineer for Military & Aerospace Advanced Communications at Capgemini. He assumed the position in June 2023 and has been focusing on designing and developing products for the U.S. Defense Industrial Base.

Brown has over 20 years of expertise and leadership in open radio access Networks (ORANs), integrated and disaggregated private network deployments, mobile edge computing and network management and orchestration. His illustrious career and extensive expertise poised him to be a panel speaker at the Operationalizing 5G For DoD Missions panel discussion. 

 

Christopher Yaw, VP of End-to-end Solutions at Ericsson

 

Christopher Yaw is the Vice President of End-to-end Solutions at Ericsson’s Federal Technologies Group. He is a seasoned industry leader with over 30 years of experience in solution development, technical computing, wireless space and adopting advanced connectivity networks for federal agencies’ global use.

In his current role, Yaw leverages his decade-long experience to lead missions that provide critical mission network solutions for the U.S. government. His responsibilities include operationalizing broadband cellular technologies to support missions from the DOD and the federal, local and state sectors.

With his experience implementing 5G for crucial efforts, Yaw was once again tapped by the Potomac Officers Club as the moderator of the Operationalizing 5G for DoD Missions discussions.

Previously, Christopher Yaw was the moderator at the 10th Annual Defense R&D panel, “Innovation to Implementation.”

 

Joe Pishock, Senior Director of Business Development at OCEUS

 

Joseph Pishock is the Senior Director of Business Development at OCEUS. He leads the charge in innovating and adapting solutions to guarantee successful outcomes for its partners. 

 

Pishock is a seasoned industry veteran with years of experience solving tough military and government predicaments. Before assuming his current role, he served in the U.S. Army for over a decade and was appointed chief, commander, and colonelcy roles. These competencies helped him become more well-versed in leading warfighter efforts and advanced network implementation.

 

Joe’s rich background in combat and defense poised him to be the manager of the DOD Accounts & Strategy unit at OCEUS. His military prowess will also be paramount to his role as a panel speaker at the Operationalizing 5G For DoD Missions panel discussion. 

 

What Are the Federal Government’s Notable 5G Efforts?

 

5G has been crucial to fulfilling government missions and enabling the private sector to develop modern connectivity capabilities. Its power propels harmonious work between the government and private sectors.

Outlined below are some of the federal government’s key 5G efforts:

 

DoD Leveraging 5G Capabilities to Bolster Combat Capabilities

5G advancements aren’t limited to establishing seamless communications. In 2022, the DoD established the 5G Cross-Functional Team to develop and enhance communications among warfighters. The team is currently directed by Juan Ramirez.

The 5G Cross-Functional Team works with private 5G companies and utilizes their solutions to enhance military training bases’ use of drones and augmented reality to train soldiers.

Moreover, the team integrates advanced connectivity into the U.S. Navy’s shipboard information technology modernization effort. To reinforce this initiative, the service branch explores 5G and enhanced low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations to improve the bandwidth required by navy ships’ crews and maintain their connectivity with each other.

 

Private 5G Networks for Better Warfighter Exercises

A column by Nokia published on March 15, 2024, discussed the potential indispensability of private 5G networks for military training operations. Steve Vogelsang, Chief Technology Officer of Nokia, highlighted that 5G is essential for achieving the highest degree of connectivity to simulate real-world scenarios that meet current mission requirements.

That said, while Vogelsang said “ensuring the bandwidth and coverage required to enable seamless monitoring of training exercises and the advanced use cases being deployed” is where private 5G networks shine, the DoD still needs to establish a strong foundation for these networks to perform exceptionally in terms of security, consistency, and spectrum.

 

The Senate’s Spectrum Pipeline Bill

On March 11, 2024, Republican Senators Ted Cruz and John Thune proposed the Spectrum Pipeline Bill. If passed into law, the legislation would require government agencies to offer their spectrum to strengthen commercial wireless 5G connections.

Under the Spectrum Pipeline Bill, the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will need to identify a minimum of 2,500 megahertz of mid-band spectrum. The spectrum will also reallocate government use to private or shared use within the next five years.

 

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