MCAS Miramar military base tests Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband service

Verizon and the U.S. Marine Corps are working together at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar to explore ways the military and other U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) agencies can use Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband to transform operations in areas ranging from communications to base security.

MCAS Miramar is the first U.S. military base with access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service and will act as a 5G “living lab,” facilitating collaboration between the Department of Defense and commercial partners.

“We are excited to explore the art of the possible with 5G Ultra Wideband’s high bandwidth, fast speeds and low latency,” said Lt. Col. Brandon Newell, Director of Technology and Partnerships for the Marine Corps Installation Next program. “This is a critical step to accelerate the nation’s 5G aspirations. At Miramar, we are focused on collaboratively exploring 5G-enabled technology in the areas of energy management, connected vehicles, drones, and base security.”

Newell, who is also the Director of the NavalX SoCal Tech Bridge, a research and development arm of the Department of the Navy, added, “This effort is critical to national security. The establishment of this 5G living lab expedites the nation’s ability to leverage 5G for national defense.”

MCAS Miramar is home to 15,000 service members as well as the 3rd Marine Air Wing and the 5th Generation F35-C. With live 5G on the base, the Marine Corps expects to test how 5G can enable future smart bases that are better protected, more resilient, and supported by autonomous transport.

“We’re thrilled to partner with MCAS Miramar to create a 5G test bed where we can work together to develop new uses cases that improve cybersecurity, enhance the use of unmanned ground systems and drone delivery, and more,” said Andrés Irlando, senior vice president and president, Public Sector and Verizon Connect at Verizon. “Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network is built to support transformative experiences and we’re proud it will play a critical role in evolving national defense technologies.”