Alion Science and Technology has received a contract from the US Department of Defense (DoD) to study sharing or relocating its radio frequency (RF) spectrum to the commercial sector.
Under the terms of the $1.5m contract, Alion will help the DoD develop a long-term spectrum strategy, which will anticipate, guide and respond to changes in technology, policy and regulation, as well as ensuring spectrum access for all existing and future DoD communication systems.
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The company will focus on performing a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts to DoD systems that are currently using the targeted RF bands and then provide recommendations to the department’s stakeholders.
Alion senior vice president and Strategic Operations Group manager major general Charlie Fletcher said the pervasive nature of commercial communications technologies was pressurising the DoD to reallocate some of the RF spectrum needed for conducting modern warfare.
"Alion will assist DoD with the development of studies and plans for specific at-risk RF bands that support critical warfighter missions and are currently targeted for access by commercial systems," Fletcher said.
The contract was awarded by the Spectrum Policy and Programs, within DoD’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) under the Weapons Systems Technology Information Analysis Center (WSTIAC) contract vehicles, which has a performance period of up to July 2015.
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By GlobalDataSome of the RF spectrum, which is required by DoD to run its advanced communications systems is increasingly sought by the commercial sector to enhance its broadband capacity.
Several potential RF bands, including those of the DoD, have been identified for reallocation and auctioning for broadband services by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the President’s Broadband Initiative.
