Defense Communications: Federal Frequency Spectrum Sale Could Impair Military Operations
NSIAD-97-131
Published: Jun 17, 1997. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 1997.
Skip to Highlights
Highlights
GAO reviewed the transfer of certain frequency spectrum from the Navy's Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) Program to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for reallocation to the private sector, focusing on whether: (1) the capabilities of the CEC program could be adversely affected by this transfer; (2) other systems could also be adversely affected by this transfer; and (3) the Department of Defense (DOD), FCC, and the Department of Commerce are taking appropriate and adequate steps to prevent or minimize such impairment. GAO also discussed potential actions that could more effectively achieve the intent of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to minimize negative impacts of frequency reallocation on the federal government.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| To allow these agencies time to complete their evaluations, the Congress may wish to relax FCC's deadline of August 4, 1998 for issuing licenses for 10 MHz of the reallocated 50 megahertz (MHz) of CEC spectrum. | No further action is required. DOD officials said they and the FCC reached an agreement to move the 50 MHZ to another location more favorable to the CEC program. In addition, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should assign responsibility for overall DOD spectrum management to a specific organization. |
DOD has established a Director, Spectrum Management position within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (OASD) for Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I). DOD also established the Office of Spectrum Analysis and Management (OASM) within the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). OASM is the focal point to coordinate analytical support, ensure consistent enforcement of spectrum management policy and procedures DOD-wide, and to position the DOD to ensure spectrum access into the 21st century. Among its functions, the new office provides advocacy, oversight, and enforcement of spectrum policy, develops policy guidance for the DOD, and provides strategic planning capability for spectrum management. However, OSD/C3I and OASM do not speak for all DOD; the Army, Navy, and Air Force claim rights under Title X to represent themselves on spectrum issues within DOD and to outside spectrum regulatory bodies.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should expand and complete the ongoing DOD frequency requirements study. This study should include analyses on how: (1) the transfer of the 50 MHz in the CEC band and other transfers of federal frequency spectrum to the commercial sector could affect CEC and the other critical military systems in its study; and (2) DOD plans to modify CEC and other critical systems, including estimated costs and schedule, to compensate for operational degradation caused by the transferred spectrum. |
Other action was taken to mitigate effects of the original problem. DOD officials said they and the FCC reached an agreement to move the 50 MHZ to another location more favorable to the CEC program. In addition, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should submit the results of the study to the President for his use in considering whether to reclaim the transferred 50 MHz spectrum. |
As indicated with respect to prior recommendations, other actions have been taken to mitigate the problem. In addition, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should submit the results of the study to the Congress including, if necessary, proposals for legislative modifications. |
As indicated with respect to prior recommendations, other action has been taken to mitigate effects of the problem. In addition, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety.
|
| Federal Communications Commission | The Chairman, FCC, should suspend plans for auctioning the 50 MHz from the CEC operating band and other transfers of spectrum until the Congress and the President have reviewed the DOD report transmitting the results from the ongoing review of its frequency requirements. |
As indicated with respect to previous recommendations, DOD and the FCC reached agreement to provide different frequencies for CEC. In addition, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety.
|
| Department of Commerce | The Chairman, FCC, and the Secretary of Commerce should submit a joint report to the Congress on their progress in implementing the 1993 act requirements on joint spectrum planning, any unresolved issues, and impediments to the resolution of these issues, including proposals for legislative modifications. |
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) requires the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, to review implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies. This assessment is to include the effects of spectrum reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety. A joint report by the Secretary and the Chairman is required by October 1, 2000, on the results of the above assessment.
|
| Federal Communications Commission | The Chairman, FCC, and the Secretary of Commerce should submit a joint report to the Congress on their progress in implementing the 1993 act requirements on joint spectrum planning, any unresolved issues, and impediments to the resolution of these issues, including proposals for legislative modifications. |
The conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety.
|
| National Security Council | The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs should, in his role of integrating all aspects of national security policy: (1) review actions taken as a result of the above recommendations for national security implications; and (2) on the basis of his findings, advise the President whether he should exercise his authority to recover the 50 MHz for federal government use in the CEC program and how he should proceed with any future proposal for transfer of DOD-assigned federal spectrum. |
Other action was taken to mitigate effects of the original problem. DOD officials said they and the FCC reached an agreement to move the 50 MHZ to another location more favorable to the CEC program. In addition, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (section 1062) states that surrender of DOD frequencies is authorized only if the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Commerce jointly certify to Congress that the surrender of such portions of the spectrum will not degrade essential military capability. A report to the Congress and the President is required on the progress made on implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of federal government spectrum to non-federal use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal agencies, which would include the effects of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities, civil space programs, and other federal government systems used to protect public safety.
|
Full Report
Public Inquiries
Topics
Communication securityCommunication systemsDefense capabilitiesDefense contingency planningDefense economic analysisInteragency relationsMilitary trainingNational defense operationsPrivatizationRadio frequency allocationSpectrum managementTelecommunications equipmentTelecommunications industrySpectrum