New Lockheed CEO James Taiclet says 5G networks will be key to bolstering the military’s autonomous capabilities. He made the comments in an interview with Reuters.
“In some ways the military application of 5G is simpler than the commercial application,” he said.
Taiclet envisions fully 50% – 75% of military vehicles being autonomous and a robust 5G network as crucial to making that happen.
“We’re trying to make the programs and platforms better, and make them distinctively better versus our peer group by getting out in front of the networking side of this much more quickly,” he said.
“I’ve got an idea called 5G.mil that we’re going to try to figure out.”
Taiclet is a former U.S. Air Force pilot. He has also had worked at Honeywell International Inc and United Technologies Corporation.
Most recently, Taiclet was head of American Tower Corp, a real estate investment trust that leases out cell tower space to telecomm companies. He became CEO of Lockheed in June, having served previously on its board of directors.
Photo by U.S. Air Force photo/ Brad Fallin