b'5G IN THE DoDprocess. Technicians could be equipped with tablets that automatically update lists of assignments; work orders could be instantaneously reshuffled based on priority; and supplies could be delivered to the job by some form of autonomous transport. When it comes to the repair process itself, AR/VR capabilities could also be part of the future toolkit. Think of it as next-level remote support: When a technician calls for assistance, an off-site expert would be able to see what the technician is viewing through the camera function on a set of AR/VR goggles and perhaps be able to highlight a faulty part in red. Most problems that might have taken days, multiple people and multiple trips could be done instantaneously, Gateau says. Bill LantzyAir Force & Space Force: Supercharged Data FlightSimilar to revamping the Navys ship-to-shore communications infrastructure, the Air Force is examining how 5G can refashion the flight-line process with some automation. Air Force aircraft are outfitted with increasingly sophisticated technology. As planes get smarter, theyre generating ever more data, and the Air Force needs to find a way to offload that data quicker when planes land. Enhanced connectivity would allow a host of processes to be automated, including maintenance. In theory, predictive analytics would inform ground crews when and where aircraft might experience technical issues, even before landing.The Air Force is now looking at a fighter jet not necessarily as a standalone object, but as a node on the network, Singer says. Its a device. Its a really smart deviceits probably one of the most complicated, complex platforms. But at the end of the day, its a device, and its connected to the network.Interconnecting every piece of the flight-linefrom the onboard sensors to every switch on the groundfits in with the grand vision set out by Air Force leaders of what they call a Global Sensing Network.10 11'