Private 5G network sets sail with Republic of Korea Navy

Marking the first deployment of its kind at a Korean Naval base, and seeing the nation’s navy carrying forward its project to improve battleship and base operation support capabilities and achieve comprehensive base defence, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy has selected Samsung Electronics and KT Corporation to deploy a private 5G network for its Smart Naval Port project.

Samsung said private 5G solutions are essential to support national defence sectors, which require ultrafast speeds and hyper-connected communications for foolproof and effective operation management. These solutions will build a highly reliable network dedicated to the navy, increasing security and reducing vulnerabilities.

The Korean consumer electronics giant and domestic telco have been contracted to build a more intelligent and fully independent network infrastructure to provide “seamless” coverage and enhanced connectivity for the Republic of Korea Navy 2nd Fleet. The firms have been collaborating on this project since the summer, with a goal to complete the deployment by December 2025.

The deployment will see Samsung provide its end-to-end private 5G network solution for defence, including its private network 5G SA Compact Core, indoor and outdoor radio solutions, and network management software. These solutions support the mid-band (n79, 4.7GHz) spectrum, which is widely adopted for military usage. Private 5G radios will deliver improved uplink performance with optimised uplink features, designed to help government agencies upload vast amounts of data across numerous devices simultaneously.

To ensure military workplace safety and efficiency, Samsung and KT will support the navy’s private 5G buildout by applying artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled connectivity solutions and powering a variety of next-generation applications. The project will establish an information and communications technology infrastructure that encompasses 13 different systems, ranging from uncrewed vehicle operation to armoury management and ammunition depot management.

Specific use cases include a digital twin of the smart naval base, intelligent security monitoring and a one-stop battleship operation management system. The digital twin will provide a three-dimensional and high-definition digital replica of the base, enabling an integrated management system that can also be used as a foundation for establishing strategy development. It is hoped insights gathered from the digital twin will assist in decisions related to increasing the resilience, efficiency, adaptability and autonomy of the base.

The intelligent security monitoring is designed to enhance the naval base defence by introducing real-time video control of operational forces and vehicles, surveillance cameras for ammunition depots and armouries, and surveillance drones incorporating the existing Video Management System (VMS). This monitoring will deliver a holistic view of the base for optimal operational response in case of an emergency event through a real-time auto screen switch.

For its part, the battleship operation management system will offer operation support by integrating multiple critical systems, such as navigation support, logistics management, safety management and monitoring, thereby streamlining and operationalising administrative work for navy personnel.

Commenting on the deployment, Samsung Electronics vice-president and head of the B2B·B2G business development group, networks business, Simon Lee said: “Samsung’s private 5G solutions are trusted due to their dependable security, reliability and proven commercial expertise, already serving diverse private and public sectors in countries like South Korea, the US and Japan. In collaboration with KT, we are excited to deploy Korea’s first private 5G at a naval base. This project exemplifies our ongoing commitment to enhance and unlock the potential of 5G to meet every customer’s needs.”