International meeting could imperil Pentagon’s radar, intel-gathering systems
The month-long World Communications Conference hosted in Dubai may jeopardize the United States Department of Defense’s (DoD) radar and intelligence-gathering systems. The conference serves as the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ‘rule-making summit.’
The ITU has come under increasing pressure to ‘turn over’ radio frequency spectrum - which is currently reserved for radar and satellite systems - to wireless telecommunications such as 5G. The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) needs of the DoD would immediately, and negatively, be affected by such a move. Notably, the meeting will also consider ‘whether to open frequencies below 2.5GHz to high-altitude aerial vehicles (such as balloons and stratospheric drones) serving as relay hubs for terrestrial wireless communications.’ The implications for the high-altitude platform systems (HAPS) sector would be immediately apparent should such a move be made.