AT&T detailed a move to install 5G and MEC equipment at the US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), part of efforts to help the military explore ways to use the technologies to enhance national security.

Chris Smith, VP of civilian and shared services at AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet, told Mobile World Live NPS wants to connect unmanned vehicles in the air, on the ground and subsea.

AT&T is deploying mmWave spectrum, citing research this can detect underwater sonar signals as they reach the surface.

Smith explained 5G could be a good connectivity option for submarines, providing a way to transmit information without surfacing the vessel.

It will also install a 4G- and 5G-compatible mobile tower at the naval facility.

Edge compute resources will be co-located with the tower, creating a way for NPS to process information on-site using a mix of hardware and operating systems, Smith explained, adding this will enable NPS to use AR and VR services.

The research is part of a three-year R&D agreement signed by AT&T and NPS in 2020.