Northrop, AT&T Sign Agreement to Develop 5G Technologies for JADC2

Northrop Grumman and AT&T have entered into an agreement to jointly develop technologies for the Department of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative. JADC2 is the concept of connecting the military’s sensors and shooters across all warfighting domains into a single network. 

On its website, Northrop said that JADC2 brings together expertise in areas like software, platform integration, advanced sensors, autonomy, manned-unmanned teaming and advanced networking. 

The goal is to allow the military services to send and receive data in a way that is similar to consumer-grade smart devices, AT&T said Tuesday.

According to AT&T, the agreement creates a research and development framework that combines the telecommunications company’s commercial 5G capabilities with Northrop’s high-tech defense solutions. 

Ben Davies, vice president and general manager of Northrop’s networked information solutions division, said that 5G will provide an advantage in a military setting and will support Northrop’s development of high-performance data-sharing technologies.

“Our collaboration with AT&T brings together some of the best capabilities in defense and commercial communications to meet the evolving requirements of JADC2,” Davies said.

Lance Spencer, AT&T’s client executive vice president for defense and a member of the Potomac Officers Club, added that 5G will ensure that the DOD can achieve operational and information advantage in support of national security. 

In March, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks signed the DOD’s JADC2 implementation plan. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, a four-time Wash100 winner, said in a press release that JADC2 will greatly speed up the military’s information-sharing and decision-making processes in contested environments.