$6.5M Contract
Will Support Open RAN with a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC)
Experimentation for U.S. Department of Defense
DENVER, Nov. 19,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EchoStar Corporation, (Nasdaq:
SATS) today shared that its subsidiary Hughes Network Systems, LLC,
was awarded a $6.5 million contract
to deploy a 5G Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) prototype at Fort
Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The
network will feature a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), which will
allow the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to test RIC-based
software applications for military networks. The 5G Open RAN
prototype equipment will be installed on Fort Bliss to operate a
temporary network for evaluation purposes, which will then
transition to serve as part of the Hughes commercial network
supporting both DoD and commercial customers in and around Fort
Bliss. The project is a joint effort of the U.S. Army, the DoD
Chief Information Officer (CIO), and the Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
(OUSD(R&E)).
"This contract award is an important step forward for the U.S.
Department of Defense's efforts to develop next generation
communications networks that can empower innovative applications,"
said Dan Rasmussen, senior vice
president, North American Enterprise, Hughes Network Systems. "The
EchoStar team is looking forward to collaborating with the U.S.
Army to test and evaluate specific military use cases that leverage
5G ORAN and the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). The Fort Bliss
program will pave the way for further RIC exploration, enhancing
network performance for both U.S. government and commercial
applications."
Hughes will serve as the prime contractor, demonstrating,
qualifying, and integrating a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) in
the test network, which will also incorporate ORAN infrastructure,
engineering expertise, and 5G spectrum from Boost Mobile, another
EchoStar company.
The RIC, which acts as a platform for various software
applications, will allow the DoD to test various RAN applications.
The primary use case that the Fort Bliss prototype will test
through the RIC is the ability to rapidly change spectrum at the 5G
control node, a capability that has real world relevance to
resilient communications for a mobile command post.
The scope of the Open RAN project at Fort Bliss is designed to
meet key strategic milestones that support FY 2024 National Defense
Authorization Act requirements and DoD initiatives to diversify
supply chain. It will also improve Army processes for enabling MNO
access to installations. This initiative will serve as a testing
ground for developing new Open RAN RIC tactical applications,
developing footprints for other installations, and establishing a
training site for both civilian and military technical staff. The
Army will also evaluate policies and network architecture standards
that leverage commercially interchangeable and vendor agnostic
solutions to enhance the Army Unified Network.
The Fort Bliss program will build on EchoStar's expertise in
ORAN, already demonstrated through a 5G ORAN installation deployed
at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI), which was completed in
2023 and extended in March. The NASWI deployment improves aircraft
readiness by enabling immediate, real-time communication and
coordination across the flight line, reducing maintenance and
turnaround time for jets on base.
To learn more about delivering secure communications, anytime,
anywhere, please visit Hughes.com.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) is a premier provider of
technology, networking services, television entertainment and
connectivity, offering consumer, enterprise, operator and
government solutions worldwide under its EchoStar®, Boost Mobile®,
Boost Infinite, Sling TV, DISH TV, Hughes®, Hughesnet®, HughesON™,
and JUPITER™ brands. In Europe,
EchoStar operates under its EchoStar Mobile Limited subsidiary and
in Australia, the company operates
as EchoStar Global Australia. For more information, visit
www.echostar.com and follow EchoStar on X (Twitter) and
LinkedIn.
About Hughes
Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar
company (Nasdaq: SATS), provides broadband equipment and services;
managed services featuring smart, software-defined networking; and
end-to-end network operation for millions of consumers, businesses,
governments, airlines, and communities worldwide. The Hughes
flagship internet service, Hughesnet®, connects millions of people
across the Americas, and the Hughes JUPITER™ System powers internet
access for tens of millions more worldwide. Hughes supplies more
than half the global satellite terminal market to leading satellite
operators, mobile network operators and military customers. Hughes
products and services have helped bring in-flight video and
broadband to thousands of aircraft for over twenty years. A managed
network services provider, Hughes supports approximately half a
million enterprise sites with its portfolio of wired and wireless
solutions including 5G Open RAN and Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
satellites. To learn more, visit www.hughes.com or follow
HughesConnects on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.
©2024 EchoStar Corporation. Hughes, Hughesnet, DISH, and Boost
Mobile are registered trademarks of one or more affiliate companies
of EchoStar Corporation.
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SOURCE EchoStar Corporation