The Department of Defense has selected Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Hill Air Force Base, Utah; and Naval Base San Diego, California as the first U.S. military installations to host testing and experimentation for 5G technology.

The bases were selected for their ability to provide streamlined access to site spectrum bands, mature fiber and wireless infrastructure, access to key facilities, support for new or improved infrastructure requirements, and the ability to conduct controlled experimentation with dynamic spectrum sharing.

MCLB Albany’s Commanding Officer Col. Alphonso Trimble said he’s thrilled the installation was selected as the first United States Marine Corps site for 5G.

"We’re really excited to be one of the first four installations within the Department of Defense selected for this trial test,” Trimble said.

MCLB Albany has been at the forefront of some major revolutionary breakthroughs, to include: America’s first Borehole Thermal Energy Storage System and development of a biomass facility which will allow the base to fully operate using 100-percent renewable energy by summer 2020.

Trimble added, “We are excited to be at the forefront of this technology, just as we were with the NetZero energy initiative. This could not have been accomplished without the innovative efforts of our workforce. We are tremendously proud to be viewed by the DOD as an installation that welcomes change and leads the way for future generations.”

The department announced earlier this month it would issue a draft request for proposals in November. Information gathered from responses to the draft RFP will factor into the creation of a final RFP planned for December, though the timing will depend on passage of a 2020 defense appropriations bill.

DOD plans to add new opportunities roughly every quarter, pending funds availability, and will hold an industry day prior to issuing the final RFP. The first round of opportunities will focus on the following areas:

Establishing a dynamic spectrum sharing testbed to demonstrate the capability to use 5G in congested environments with high-power, mid-band radars.

Integrating Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality into mission planning and training in both virtual and live environments on training ranges.

Smart Warehouses to leverage 5G’s ability to enhance logistics operations and maximize throughout.