The electromagnetic spectrum, a critical yet invisible resource, has become the center of a heated debate between the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the wireless industry. At stake is a significant portion of wireless spectrum currently held by the DOD for national defense purposes—such as radars, signals intelligence, and other military applications. While the DOD views this spectrum as essential to maintaining warfighting capabilities, the wireless industry has argued that the Pentagon is hoarding far more than it needs, stifling the growth of 5G and emerging 6G technologies that could drive economic innovation in the United States. Caught in the crossfire is a question of balance: how can the U.S. safeguard its national security while unlocking the commercial potential of this finite resource?
The wireless industry has long coveted the DOD’s spectrum holdings, seeing them…
