Boost Performance and Reduce Risks in Military-Grade 5G

Step Up from Commercial 5G Networks

The primary use case for 5G stems from consumer demand for multimedia entertainment that fits on smaller screens and delivers an immersive user experience. Infrastructure and service providers are responding with more bandwidth on two fronts: squeezing more bits into the existing cellular spectrum and opening new spectrum at higher frequencies for next-generation mobile devices. Much of the technology inside 5G — like high-frequency RF design and complex digital modulation — came from previous innovations in defense and aerospace applications. Following in the spirit of commercialoff- the-shelf initiatives, 5G technology will find broader use in defense and aerospace circles, offering transformative user experiences. Bandwidth also transforms devices. 5G powers smartphones and tablets and provides enough bandwidth for high-speed internet through a 5G-enabled Wi-Fi hub. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) concepts connect 5G-enabled cars and trucks to data and sensor networks, paving the way for vehicles to communicate directly and enhance safety. Robots and drones also connect over 5G, accepting commands and streaming real-time video. Cellular Internet of Things (IoT) technology, co-existing with 5G coverage in dedicated subbands on the same towers, opens possibilities for swarms of new connected devices, providing more information about monitored equipment and surroundings.  Enhanced 5G usability and bandwidth translate directly to use cases for military personnel, first responders, and agency employees. The term military grade implies physical requirements like extended operating temperature, shock, vibration, and salt spray resistance. In practice, it means much more. Military-grade 5G network designs must deal with these basic requirements and demands on hardware and software from higher levels. Advanced requirements, such as 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), will reshape future military-grade deployments. NTNs will likely change the conventional view of satellite design, moving away from static 20-tonners toward larger constellations of smaller platforms constantly in motion. How NTNs organize, including how software partitions across platforms and how they connect, is a new frontier. Latency and Doppler pre-compensation become significant concerns. Keysight focuses on 5G terrestrial and non-terrestrial challenges where test and simulation solutions are crucial in deploying military-grade 5G networks in less time, with higher performance, improved network reliability and quality of service (QoS), and lower risk. Keysight solutions serve the 5G ecosystem of component makers, equipment designers, integrators, and service providers. At a system level, teams deploying military-grade 5G networks face four overarching challenges beyond the experience of many commercial deployments: rapid deployments, dynamic environments, more and varied devices, and long life cycles. The insight required to deploy, troubleshoot, and optimize network performance and reliability deepens, with lives and property depending on the results. Speed, accuracy, and the ability to share models, data, and analysis are mandatory for any solution. State-of-the-art emulation and simulation solutions, coupled with test and measurement equipment, increase the ability to quickly evaluate and validate networks and devices where physical test setups can be tricky.

Rapid deployments

Commercial 5G system deployments typically have time on their side. Careful planning includes selecting equipment, surveying locations for optimum coverage, constructing base station towers and equipment shelters, and verifying compliance with regulations. Military-grade 5G networks often deploy in unforeseen locations without much notice and in uncontrolled conditions with little time to get up and running. Equipment must be portable, delivered by helicopter, light vehicle, or, in extreme cases, carry bag. Instead of a large, fixed antenna tower, setups may include vehicle-mounted booms, aerostats, and high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) platforms like airships, drones, balloons, and low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Quickly identifying placement locations and assessing coverage is essential. Keysight delivers proven measurement science for 5G field testing, providing faster, more accurate results. A deep understanding of authentic RF signals and real-world effects translates into advanced algorithms for complex time and frequency domain measurements in noise. Keysight solutions support all four phases of 5G network evaluation: user equipment (UE) emulation, channel emulation, gNodeB (base station) testing, and core network testing. 

Dynamic environments

In a disaster response scenario, setting up a military-grade 5G network may be more straightforward as conflicting electronic emitters in the area are often inoperative. But in a military operation, other emitters can be numerous, with radar systems (including nearby commercial radar), tactical radios, satellite communication terminals, electronic warfare gear, directed energy weapons, and more. Coexistence can be tricky. A 5G network that works perfectly in one location may have severe problems operating in another. Spectrum conflicts may arise when the 5G network and other equipment occupy the same operating frequencies. Or more subtle interference, continuous or intermittent, may throw 5G modulation slightly out of specification with increased bit error rates. Also, 5G operation may affect the performance of other gear. Keysight RF system simulation solutions help model 5G environments, predicting performance in virtual space before problems appear in physical results. Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) strategies can account for dynamic elements like antenna orientation, nearby emitters, and HAPS and satellite motion, simulating how 5G signals change during operation. Simulation results inform configuration decisions. 

Increasing device variety and numbers 

Setting up one 5G network in a location and immediately connecting a wide variety of wireless devices and platforms provides immense benefits for warfighters, agencies, and first responders. The scalability of military-grade 5G networks is also a plus, supporting small squads to entire theaters. Defense applications for 5G span sensors, handhelds, vehicles, and satellites. Keysight test and simulation solutions extend and scale with customer-supplied models and hardware-inthe- loop strategies for testing existing and newly developed devices. UE emulators support thousands of active devices simultaneously. Simulation software scales for more extensive, faster runs on cloud and high-performance computing platforms.  

Long life cycles with evolving specifications 

Defense users value extended life cycle support for hardware and software. However, 5G technology evolves along a much shorter commercial life cycle, driven by research and frequent specification updates from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the O-RAN Alliance, and other ecosystem proponents. A good example is 5G NTNs, which have partially defined specifications but still no end-to-end system solutions. Measurement science must keep pace, protecting investments in high-precision equipment and simulation software without requiring dreaded “forklift upgrades” for all-new solutions. A test and simulation approach defined now must be able to adapt as discoveries occur. Keysight continuously upgrades its test solutions through major annual releases of new instrument and simulation software packages. Research is already underway on the design and test of 5G-Advanced, 5G NTN, and 6G equipment, embracing the latest features as they progress in working groups. Keysight solutions appear throughout the 5G ecosystem, from RF chipset suppliers to device manufacturers to network integrators.