Can We Share Spectrum? | The Truth of the Matter - YouTube

Pentagon and Telecom Industry Battle Over Critical Military Spectrum as Congress Weighs $88 Billion Auction Plan

A contentious debate over access to electromagnetic spectrum has emerged as one of the most significant yet underreported policy battles in Washington, with national security experts warning that congressional plans to auction military spectrum could compromise America's missile defense capabilities.

The conflict centers on the so-called "low 3" gigahertz band (3.1 to 3.45 GHz), a portion of the S-band spectrum that the Defense Department considers essential for military air and missile defense radars. Telecommunications companies, however, are pushing for access to these frequencies to expand 5G wireless networks and support future mobile broadband services.

The Technical Challenge

According to Tom Carrico, director of the missile defense program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the S-band represents a "Goldilocks zone" for radar operations, offering an optimal balance between surveillance range and weather penetration capabilities.

"Rigorous testing has shown the incompatibility of 5G and high-powered radars; the former has to be off for the latter to be on," according to a recent CSIS study. The organization warns that "proposals for dynamic sharing fail to account for the need to continuously surveil airspace."

The technical complexity stems from the discrete functions required of missile defense radars. These systems must simultaneously surveil airspace continuously, classify and identify incoming threats by comparing radar signatures against threat libraries, develop tracking data, and communicate with interceptor missiles—all functions that could be compromised by commercial interference.

Current Military Applications

The contested spectrum currently supports critical defense systems including:

Navy Aegis SPY radar systems operating on ships worldwide, including vessels in the Red Sea currently defending against drone and missile attacks
Army TPQ-53 radars used for border security and air defense
Space Force Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) in Alaska designed to track North Korean ballistic missiles
Marine Corps Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar systems

US ships in the Red Sea are currently "using critical spectrum for radars to make sure drones and missiles are not striking their vessels or commercial ships," according to defense officials.

Congressional Action and Budget Reconciliation

The debate has intensified as Congress considers renewing the Federal Communications Commission's spectrum auction authority, which expired in March 2023. The reconciliation text said the auction would exclude spectrum frequencies between 3.1 and 3.45 GHz and between 5.925 and 7.125 GHz, protecting the most sensitive military bands.

The provisions, released in the text Sunday, are the latest installment in a yearslong debate about spectrum auctions. The House passed the reconciliation bill in May 2025, with the measure now under Senate consideration.

The proposed legislation would require the FCC to auction at least 600 megahertz of spectrum, potentially generating $88 billion by 2034 according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.

Bipartisan Security Concerns

The spectrum issue has created unusual bipartisan agreement on national security grounds. "Make no mistake, on today's battlefield, if we lose the spectrum war, we lose the war," wrote Senate Commerce ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in a May 2025 letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Defense experts argue that relocating military systems would be prohibitively expensive. The Department of Defense estimates that the Aegis system alone carries a reported $120 billion price tag — roughly $1.1 billion per ship for the Navy's 110 Aegis-equipped vessels.

International Context and China Competition

The debate occurs against the backdrop of intensifying competition with China in 5G and wireless technologies. China's commercial edge amplifies this threat: Its China Mobile (the world's largest mobile operator by subscribers and revenue) and China Telecom dominate mid-band spectrum with domestically produced infrastructure.

Notably, despite international pressure to commercialize S-band spectrum, China itself maintains strict control over these frequencies for defense purposes, not allowing high-power outdoor S-band commercial usage that could interfere with its own air defense radars.

Industry Perspectives

The telecommunications industry argues that dynamic spectrum sharing could allow both military and commercial operations to coexist. Despite evidence showing that military and 5G operations coexist in over 30 countries, the Department of Defense has repeatedly refused to free up any part of this band for commercial use, according to industry advocates.

However, defense officials counter that "dynamic spectrum sharing" that essentially choreographs what spectrum bands are used by which users when cannot account for the military's need for continuous surveillance operations.

Technical Testing and Interference Studies

Recent technical studies have highlighted the complexity of the interference problem. 5G systems operating with frequencies that are adjacent those used by radio altimeters could disrupt flight operations and navigation functions, according to research published in scientific journals.

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued over 1,300 notices to airmen related to potential 5G interference with aircraft systems, demonstrating the broader challenges of spectrum coexistence across different domains.

Military Radar Market Growth

The stakes continue to rise as global military radar systems expand. The global military radar market was valued at USD 14.8 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2025 to 2034, driven by increasing defense budgets and modernization efforts worldwide.

Looking Ahead

As the Senate considers the reconciliation bill, the compromise appears to protect the most critical military spectrum while providing telecommunications companies with access to other frequency bands. However, the broader question of spectrum management in an era of increasing military and commercial demands remains unresolved.

The outcome of this debate will likely influence not only America's military readiness but also its competitiveness in next-generation wireless technologies, with implications for both national security and economic growth in the digital age.

Sources

Congressional and Policy Updates

Roll Call - "Reconciliation would auction 600 megahertz of federal spectrum"
May 12, 2025
https://rollcall.com/2025/05/12/reconciliation-would-auction-600-megahertz-of-federal-spectrum/
Inside Global Tech - "Energy and Commerce Committee Votes on GOP House Spectrum Plan"
May 14, 2025
https://www.insideglobaltech.com/2025/05/14/energy-and-commerce-committee-votes-on-gop-house-spectrum-plan/
Broadband Breakfast - "Dems Want Auction Authority Out of Reconciliation as Allen Reintroduces Spectrum Bill"
January 24, 2025
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dems-want-auction-authority-out-of-reconciliation-as-allen-reintroduces-spectrum-bill/
Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - "You Can't Spell Reconciliation Without S-P-E-C-T-R-U-M"
May 13, 2025
https://www.benton.org/blog/you-cant-spell-reconciliation-without-s-p-e-c-t-r-u-m
American Action Forum - "Primer: A Staffer's Guide to Spectrum Auction Reauthorization"
February 20, 2025
https://www.americanactionforum.org/insight/primer-a-staffers-guide-to-spectrum-auction-reauthorization/
Citizens Against Government Waste - "House Reconciliation Package Restores Spectrum Auction Authority"
May 2025
https://www.cagw.org/house-reconciliation-package-restores-spectrum-auction-authority/
Schools Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition - "FCC Spectrum Auction Authority Slated for Renewal — But at What Cost to CBRS?"
https://www.shlb.org/blogs/fcc-spectrum-auction-authority-slated-for-renewal
Wireless Estimator - "Senator Cruz's spectrum auction revival push aims to inject up to $88 billion into the U.S. economy"
June 6, 2025
https://wirelessestimator.com/articles/2025/senator-cruzs-spectrum-auction-revival-push-aims-to-inject-up-to-88-billion-into-the-u-s-economy/

Technical and Engineering Studies

ScienceDirect - "5G interference with aviation altimeters: technology and policy recommendations for coexistence"
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967070X24001082
ATDI - "Protecting military radars from 5G interference"
March 8, 2022
https://atdi.com/protecting-military-radars-from-5g-interference/
Duncan Aviation - "5G Wireless Interference. Update."
https://www.duncanaviation.aero/intelligence/5g-wireless-interference-update
IEEE International Radar Conference - "2025 IEEE International Radar Conference"
May 5-9, 2025, Atlanta, Georgia
https://2025.ieee-radar.org/

Industry and Market Analysis

GM Insights - "Military Radar Market Size, Share & Growth Report, 2025 – 2034"
December 1, 2024
https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/military-radar-market
Executive Gov - "Unpacking the Fight for the Spectrum Band & Its Link to 5G, FutureG"
February 12, 2025
https://executivegov.com/2025/02/unpacking-spectrum-band-fight-5g-futureg-dod-govcon/
DefenseScoop - "Senators express concerns about national spectrum strategy's impact on DOD"
February 7, 2024
https://defensescoop.com/2024/02/07/senators-letter-spectrum-defense-department/
The Defense Post - "It's Time for the US Military to Prioritize Spectrum Policy"
October 9, 2024
https://thedefensepost.com/2024/10/08/us-military-spectrum-policy/

This article is based on a podcast discussion from CSIS's "The Truth of the Matter" featuring Tom Carrico, director of the missile defense program, along with recent congressional developments and technical studies on spectrum policy.

Aerospace Electronic and Defense Systems

Wednesday, June 11, 2025