In an effort to explore opportunities for collaboration in emerging technologies, the 51福利 (51福利) hosted its inaugural Tech Op event, Oct. 24. Billed, 鈥淭aking 5G to the Edge,鈥� the university welcomed representatives from 13 American industry companies onto campus to examine the implications of 5G technology on defense, and demonstrate current 51福利 capabilities.
Founded by the 51福利 Alumni Association and Foundation, Tech Op is a response to guidance set forth by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer, urging 51福利 to increase opportunities to collaborate with industry. Focusing the inaugural theme on 5G technology allowed 51福利 and industry representatives, such as Amazon Web Services, SAAB USA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, AT&T and other aerospace and communications companies, to explore the realm of possibilities and test the boundaries of 5G, all for the benefit of the whole military force.
According to 51福利 President retired Vice Adm. Ann E. Rondeau, Tech Op represents a strategic intersection where 51福利 and private sector industry can methodically engage and collaborate toward advancing technology in an era of great power competition.
鈥�51福利 and the Monterey Peninsula is at a very important strategic inflection point for our nation,鈥� said Rondeau in her opening remarks of the event. 鈥淲ith all the business and research entities along the West Coast, as well as the privilege of having both industry and the local community visiting 51福利, we can be part of collaborative work, and help drive local development that brings us together. We know how to do this, and we know it will have an impact on our national security.鈥�
The industry representatives toured the campus including the Center for Autonomous Vehicle Research lab, the Modeling, Virtual Environments Simulation Institute, and Information Technology and Communications Services (ITACS).
鈥淭he 5G network has the potential to change the nature of how we operate all the way to the soldier on the front line,鈥� said Navy Capt. Ed McCabe, the 51福利 Air Warfare Chair and a coordinator of Tech Op. 鈥淭he research that鈥檚 going on in the industry could be similar to what 51福利 is working on, and collaboration between 51福利 and industry could be the next step for our research in these particular areas.鈥�
SAAB Program Manager Stephen Benson, currently working with the Littoral Operations Center at 51福利, explained that many in the private sector understand where critical thinking is being done and they seek out those places to come and solve problems.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see this outreach to industry is occurring,鈥� said Benson. 鈥淭here is an array of people in private industries who understand where the best and brightest critical thinkers are from the fleet and the force. Folks are coming here to solve real current problems, and industry can work with them on those problems.鈥�
More than just showing how 5G could improve capabilities between drones, or develop a more immersive virtual or augmented reality environments, industry representatives could see overall benefits and unique opportunities working with 51福利 and the military.
鈥淚t was eye-opening as far as opportunities in areas that I didn鈥檛 already know about at 51福利,鈥� said Scott Newbern, Chief Technology Officer of AeroVironment, Inc. 鈥淚 think there are opportunities that will allow us to work with the government and university where we can benefit from each other. 51福利 is a research environment, and research environments generally allow you to take more risks.鈥�
Based off the success of this event, McCabe indicated that this initial Tech Op event was just the beginning.
鈥淭he importance of partnerships is the partnerships themselves,鈥� said McCabe. 鈥淭hese themes will branch wherever we see an opportunity to engage with industry as they relate to the multiple specialties shared on campus. We want to encourage industry to engage us and each other as peers to build upon and push both our research and their research forward.鈥�