NIWC Pacific provides technological support for information warfare to the U.S. Navy and military
Optical computing and cellular mesh R&D company GXC has deployed its 5G Open RAN solution at the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) facility in San Diego, California.
The solution is part of the facility’s private 5G systems, which can be used to deliver enterprise wireless services and to support use cases like smart warehouses, emergency management systems and flight line operations, as well as tactical deployments for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Command and Control (C2).
According to GXC’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Hardik Jain, the successful deployment represents a significant milestone for the company. “This initiative brings together a wide range of vendors and users to conduct R&D to validate the efficacy and performance of 5G-powered applications and services under rigorous conditions,” said Jain. “We are confident that our infrastructure will deliver the performance, reliability, flexibility, and security that will satisfy the requirements of these varied use cases.”
Formerly called SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific), NIWC Pacific provides technological and engineering support for information warfare to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army and Coast Guard. This includes activities like basic research and prototype development. Last June, a team of NIWC scientists and engineers received the ASN RD&A 2022 Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers of the Year award for its leadership in developing the 5G-powered smart warehouse on Marine Corps logistics Base in Albany, Georgia.
Currently, NIWC Pacific is establishing 5G network evaluation testbeds in two laboratory environments and performing 5G experimentation for Department of Defense 5G initiatives.
At MWC 2023, RCR Wireless News met up with GXC CEO Allen Proithis who further addressed the value of private networks for organizations like the NIWC Pacific. “The public network is made to be all things for all people,” he said, adding, however, that at the end of the day, what companies really want is control of their data, they want that data to be secure and they want reliable and pervasive coverage. Public cellular and Wi-Fi, he claimed, don’t cut it. “[Wi-Fi] is good for your laptop, it’s good for the mundane, but [private 5G] is the layer of connectivity you need for all the other stuff,” he said.
