Author: Rose de Fremery
Date published: October 16, 2024
Smart military bases help transform national security, simultaneously increasing military readiness and force projection. By tapping a range of advanced IoT technologies, along with 5G for military use, smart bases operate more securely and efficiently than ever before. Learn about what comprises a smart base today, its crucial role in national security and intelligence, and why robust network connectivity is key to enabling modern defense.
A smart base helps connect (or further connect) people and technologies such as internet of things (IoT) sensors, video systems, private mobile edge computing (MEC) solutions and connected vehicles. This enhanced connected approach allows personnel on the base greater efficiency in carrying out their responsibilities and provides stakeholders with the near real-time insights needed to maintain perimeter security and support mission requirements. With the right network connectivity in place, a smart base can enable all of these technologies to work in concert with one another, maximizing their collective value.
The United States operates a significant number of military bases and intelligence locations where they train new hires. It is important to ensure unauthorized parties are prevented from gaining entry or gleaning any insight to these military training activities.
"You can run virtual simulations that put the same operators or officers in the same environment that they're going to be experiencing overseas. But at the same time, you're talking about automation including robotics and maybe managed IT services, as well," said Dr. Troy Mitchell, senior client partner for government sales at Verizon. Due to the sensitive nature of the operations carried out at these facilities, tight information control is the norm.
Advanced video security systems help ensure the necessary security for these military bases. Sensors can detect security incidents, and smarter military bases can even connect with drones to get an image, timestamp, location or any other relevant information to better understand the situation.
"The way the technology is growing, it can pick up on people—their height, weight and gait, for example, vehicles and things of that nature," said Mitchell. "It can also connect to first responders, if necessary, to manage the flow of indicators that may be coming around the Department of Defense (DoD) installation or the intelligence site to help maintain security if there's a cut in the fence," he added.
Smart base solutions can send alerts to different databases, promptly notifying the relevant officers in the chain of command or at various headquarters that an anomaly detected, issue identified or incident has taken place.
"It helps being able to notify others faster so they can respond. Some of these locations may be miles and miles away from the others. Everyone needs to report the issue through their chain of command, and then the response needs to be timely because we're really starting to talk about how lives matter, how you impact other folks and how you keep them secure," said Mitchell.
Smart military bases also rely on redundant network connectivity for continuous operations. When a failure occurs, smart base solutions may be configured to automatically route the appropriate services through a backup connectivity method.
"For example, one intelligence customer had their primary security control point lose connectivity for validating badges and access to the sensitive site for about two to three weeks and unfortunately, their leadership didn't even know it," Mitchell explained. "In this instance, especially with something like 5G for military use, you can do automatic reach back for a reliable network to keep everything up and running while the problems are getting sorted and solved. If a hardwired connection gets severed, an intelligent network solution can route over to the next available connection."
Time-division multiplexing, or TDM network modernization utilizes software-based networking tools that enhances network reliability, lowers risks of downtime, provides higher speeds, and helps improve the overall network performance, while staying compatible with legacy networking needs of military networks.
Smart bases also tend to have complex supply chain management requirements. "Getting more people involved means making additional hires. With clearances, that's a lot of money just to do quality checks. Plus, it takes about two years on average for new hires to even get the required clearance levels and background checks. Now, with some of these sensors and cameras, you can do the quality checks and make sure that the DoD or intel folks are getting the right equipment, at the right time and for the right location," he said. Strong network connectivity supports these solutions, making it possible to increase operational efficiency while lowering costs associated with a cleared workforce.
In addition to making bases smarter, secure and efficient, reliable network connectivity gives everyone on the base greater peace of mind. Although one might assume only military and intelligence personnel work and live in these locations, that's not always the case. Families often live on these bases, too. They have grocery shopping to do, and they may have to drop their kids off at childcare or at school. A smart and better connected base can improve their daily experience, improving their morale and well-being as a result. "The notifications and alerts all work within the IoT sensors to better support the families that ultimately support military welfare," Mitchell said.
Military augmented reality has many tactical uses that can help support operational forces including mapping, training, and even aircraft maintenance. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) solutions can help with the maintenance required on smart military bases, allowing workers to quickly repair various kinds of equipment. These troubleshooting tasks can also be carried out at undisclosed locations overseas using headsets—all without the need to send additional cleared people to the sensitive location. This capability is critical for both timeliness and security.
"I've been to some classified locations, and it may only be five or six of us who are even allowed there," Mitchell explained. "You're trying to restrict the flow of movement to keep your sensitive presence a secret." Rather than bringing additional people to the site, an experienced technician can remotely coach someone on site through the repair process.
With a VR headset "They are seeing the same images that you're seeing, but they're walking you through how to troubleshoot the problem. This approach allows you to maintain your level of security, prevent people from coming on the site and reduce your workforce requirements, all by automating your technologies and using them to your advantage," he added. 5G for military use can provide fast and reliable connectivity required for these bandwidth-intensive applications, helping ensure the AR and VR solutions consistently perform as required.
To build an effective smart base, it is important to implement layered security measures and augment the current security systems already in place.
"You want to maintain the right level of automation. This includes automating various systems like cameras, dark fiber, aspects of perimeter security and even vehicles. But at the same time, the various automation components go to different sensors and trackers," Mitchell said. "They may be able to pick up on the human face or appearance, so you can report certain individuals if necessary. They also see vehicles and can report the information back to a chief of base or a commander on an installation," he added.
These smart base technologies can enable timely status updates supporting faster reporting cycles, which is especially crucial in situations involving long distances—for example, between Washington, D.C. and an overseas base.
Smart military bases stand at the forefront of national security, enabling military and intelligence organizations to operate more securely and efficiently than was possible a few short years ago. And smart base solutions play an increasingly important role in national defense. Whether that's issuing timely perimeter security alerts, enabling proactive technical troubleshooting, supporting supply chain management or improving the experience for military personnel and their families. 5G for military use makes it all possible, enabling the advanced smart base solutions of today while creating a robust foundation to meet the national security requirements of tomorrow.
Learn how Verizon solutions are strategically and securely transforming the DoD.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.