DEFENSE DATA ON COMMERCIAL SPECTRUM INTERFERENCE SEEN AS LACKING
Internal Dept. of Defense (DoD) data don’t reflect claims of commercial wireless interference with military training on U.S. bases, General Accounting Office (GAO) Defense Capabilities & Management Dir. Barry Holman said Wed. However, Holman told House Govt. Affairs Committee that negative effects of encroachment on defense facilities from sources such as commercial radiofrequency interference could rise. He said: “Over time, the impact of encroachment has gradually increased. Because most encroachment problems are caused by population growth and urban development, these problems are expected to increase in the future.”
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Holman said DoD can’t assess current problems or address future encroachment unless it develops comprehensive plan, measure he said was acknowledged as necessary by DoD officials in Nov. 2000 but never finalized. He said data collected thus far falls short of backing up DoD’s claims that military training preparedness has been affected: “Despite concerns voiced by DoD officials about the effects of encroachment on training, DoD’s readiness reports do not indicate the extent to which encroachment is adversely affecting training. In fact, most reports show that units have a high state of readiness, and they are largely silent on the issue of encroachment.”
Telecom industry pressure to reallocate portions of spectrum from federal to commercial control has been identified as part of the “slow but steady increase” in encroachment problems, Holman said: “DoD claims that over the past decade it has lost over 27% of the frequency spectrum allocated for aircraft telemetry. And as we previously reported that additional reallocation of spectrum [from 1755-1850 MHz band] could affect space systems, tactical communications and combat training.”
Under Secy. of Defense for Readiness Paul Mayberry said DoD has acted upon GAO’s recommendations. It has completed an analysis of encroachment on training ranges in the U.S., and is preparing formal response to GAO’s conclusions on issue, he said: “However, more accurate and improved reporting of unit readiness alone will not fully address the problems caused by encroachment… The impacts of encroachment on our test and training lands are incremental, multilayered, and often compounding, making accurate assessment and reporting of resulting deficiencies a complicated task. Solutions to encroachment problems… can take years.”
Mayberry said DoD in meantime has developed “regional, integrated frequency deconfliction system” to aid in defense frequency management. He said defense also is investing $50 million over next 5 years to develop spectral efficient technologies, reflecting position expressed this week (CD May 16 p3) by Air Force Secy. James Roche, who said DoD is working toward maximizing spectrum efficiency rather than simply demanding more spectrum.