Defense Officials to Fischer: Without Full Access to Spectrum, Golden Dome Could Not Be Executed

Today, during a hearing on the Senate Armed Services' Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) questioned defense officials who confirmed that if portions of certain bands of spectrum currently utilized by the Department of Defense were auctioned off, President Trump's Golden Dome could not be executed.

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Fischer Questions Defense Leadership:

Senator Fischer: General Whiting, what would be the impacts to the mission effectiveness of SPACECOM were the government to auction off spectrum currently utilized by the Department? Could golden dome even take place?

General Whiting: Ma'am, we could not execute golden dome without full access to those two spectrums that we discussed earlier, the lower three, and then the 7-8 GHz. We use that lower three band, again, through so many of our radars to be able to track from the ground, and then the 7-8 GHz band is so important for our communications and other special missions. I can only see those requirements getting bigger for those spectrums as Golden Dome delivers.

Senator Fischer: And if it was auctioned off, and if it was vacated by the Department, what's the time frame, not to mention the cost? What is the time frame in research development for those new sensors to be even located in another spectrum that wouldn't have the capability that the current spectrum has to even to even accomplish that 10 years, 20 years?

General Whiting: Madam Chair, I don't have a timeline because I think our focus has been not on vacating that but figuring out if there's a way to share that spectrum through dynamic spectrum sharing. And I understand there's technologies there that may make that available. The Department has done some studies on that and laid out a series of conditions that would need to be met if dynamic spectrum sharing can occur. And I endorse that those conditions must be met if we're going to figure out a way to share that spectrum with commercial industry.

Senator Fischer: Can dynamic sharing take place now?

General Whiting: Ma'am, I am told the technology is close to being ready. I don't know if it is actually ready today, but we would want to verify that.

Senator Fischer: Do we need to test?

General Whiting: Yes, Ma'am, absolutely.

Senator Fischer: General Cotton, same question to you, if the government were to auction off spectrum currently utilized by the Department. How would STRATCOM's mission effectiveness be impacted?

General Cotton: It would be impacted, Madam Chair, because of what would happen is, to the point that was made by General Whiting, you know, we count on understanding what the threat looks like, being able to see that threat before it actually comes. We call that left of launch type of activities, as well as what we're talking about in the higher bands on what is the capacity and capability of my three legs to be able to utilize SATCOM, etc. It would absolutely affect us.

Senator Fischer: Thank you, sir.