GBL Systems Corporation (GBL) and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. announced on Wednesday that they have begun to deploy new 5G testbeds for Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) at U.S. Army military bases. According to Samsung, the Department of Defense (DoD) will utilize AR/VR applications in mission planning and training.
GBL CEO Jim Buscemi said, “This effort has the potential to revolutionize how the DoD performs distributed training exercises that are more combat-like to significantly advance warfighter readiness.”
Since October 2020, the DoD has been awarding contracts for 5G testing at several U.S. military sites. Contracts for the initiative total $600 million. GBL and Samsung have been contracted to support one of the largest testbeds, working with the DoD to verify the deployment of a scalable, resilient and secure 5G network for AR/VR-based mission planning and live field training.
Testing will begin in a lab environment using Samsung’s mmWave and mid-band 5G radios before moving to field testing at Army training bases and eventually supporting the Army brigade. The field tests will primarily use mid-band 5G radios and AR/VR goggles to see enhanced digital content overlaid onto the real world.
“We believe in the transformative power of 5G and look forward to assisting the U.S. Department of Defense as they use this technology to increase training safety and strengthen the Nation’s defense capabilities,” said Imran Akbar, Vice President and Head of New Business Team, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America.
Reader Interactions