U.S. Air Force Works with AT&T to Create “Smart Base of the Future”
The U.S. Air Force is working with AT&T* to help it create a “Smart Base of the Future” at Tyndall Air Force Base (Tyndall). AT&T expects to light up 5G service on the base as early as mid-2020.
Tyndall, located in the Florida panhandle, suffered catastrophic structural damage in 2018 caused by Hurricane Michael’s Category 5, 160-mph winds. AT&T is now rebuilding and modernizing communications infrastructure and capabilities across the base by providing future-forward networking capabilities powered by AT&T 5G to support augmented and virtual reality, IoT, and a broad array of innovative technologies.
Under the agreement between the Air Force and AT&T, AT&T will also deliver and manage commercial and private enterprise information technology capabilities at Tyndall. Initial services include mobility, cloud access, unified communications, voice, broadband, Wi-Fi expansion and an array of connected devices. AT&T’s networking solution at Tyndall will support network compute and storage as well as network edge capabilities that can more quickly deliver data and applications to users.
“The Air Force and AT&T share a vision for the smart base of the future: one that uses modern, commercially available communications capabilities to help our military maintain its globally competitive edge in defending our freedoms,” said Xavier Williams, President, AT&T Global Public Sector. “We’re proud to work with the Air Force and help fulfill its vision for how technology can power improvements in mission delivery while helping it keep its technological advantage.”
The Air Force also plans to equip its first responders and eligible public safety users at Tyndall with FirstNet – the nationwide, dedicated communications platform purpose-built for public safety. FirstNet operates on a dedicated core network that supports enhanced security and provides always-on priority and preemption services for Tyndall’s contingency and disaster response operations.
Tyndall has already experienced the benefits of FirstNet. Following Hurricane Michael, AT&T personnel arrived onsite at Tyndall within 30 minutes of being contacted by the Air Force. Within hours, the AT&T team established temporary communications capabilities in support of Tyndall’s immediate storm response and recovery efforts using FirstNet network capabilities and devices.
