John McDonald, Jeff Panebianco: DoD Should Provide Reliable, Secure Connectivity to Ensure Mission Readiness

John McDonald of CommScope and Jeff Panebianco of ID Technologies wrote in an opinion piece published Friday on C4ISRNET that the Department of Defense should prioritize the establishment of the flight line of the future by providing warfighters with reliable and secure connectivity everywhere to ensure mission readiness. 

“The flight line of the future encompasses the entire communications ecosystem on a military base, including applications, databases, logistics, facilities and more,” they wrote. “To meet future mission requirements, the DoD can upgrade and streamline communications with advanced technology that meets every military base’s unique requirements so all airmen have access to the information they need, when they need it.” 

McDonald and Panebianco recommended that DoD conduct a site survey as it works to modernize mobile and fixed networks on a military installation. They said performing that study could help the department “design a wireless network that can deliver the required radio frequency coverage and throughput needed for the identified space.” 

Large military bases seeking to extend wireless coverage can implement two techniques: dynamic meshing of fixed and mobile access points and use of Citizens Broadband Radio Service and private LTE. 

They noted that CBRS could supplement Wi-Fi and help DoD operators maintain and track their internet of things-based devices. 

McDonald serves as DoD federal sales director at CommScope, while Panebianco is the director of sales at ID Technologies.