WASHINGTON-The Department of Defense today said it supports the spectrum review announced last week by the Bush administration, but stressed that military wireless requirements are increasing in modern-day warfare.
“The president’s initiative successfully balances efforts to accelerate the nation’s economic growth with the need to ensure that national security and public-safety interests are not compromised,” the Pentagon stated.
After the White House spectrum announcement last Thursday, the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association said it was assured the administration action would not impact plans to transfer military spectrum to mobile-phone carriers for third-generation wireless systems.
But DoD today strongly hinted the 3G spectrum issue could still be in play.
“The dependence of the Department of Defense on spectrum as a force multiplier and enabler has been demonstrated recently in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, where we were able to execute successful military operations with smaller, leaner fighting forces, limited casualties and limited collateral damage,” said the Pentagon. “Our dependence on spectrum has been growing at a rapid rate as we transform our military into a network-centric force. We need to ensure that frequency spectrum does not become a bottleneck in this transition.”
