Joint Base San Antonio > News

FirstNet bringing additional communication capabilities to JBSA
January 31, 2024 — Over the next two years, Joint Base San Antonio will focus on bringing FirstNet cellular infrastructure valued at more than $25 million to its installations, drastically improving communication capabilities... MORE

Enhanced Geothermal Systems pilot may provide infinite energy source for JBSA
January 9, 2023 — Enhanced Geothermal Systems, or EGS, are promising technologies which, by tapping into heat stranded in rocks below the Earth’s surface, may enable reliable electric power production across the nation. Overall, EGS technologies are in the early demonstration project phase, but that may change once they are tested through a new Department of Defense pilot program for which Joint Base San Antonio and Mountain Home Air Force Base have been selected... MORE

New publication guides nation toward EMP resilience
June 10, 2022 — In 2018, Joint Base San Antonio formed the San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense collaborative, or SA-EMD, a quarterly public forum used to promote research and partnerships among Alamo Region civilian and military entities in preparation for the possibility of a catastrophic electromagnetic pulse, or EMP. During this summer’s SA-EMD meeting June 10, the collaborative's Domestic Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations work group released a guide to assist communities across the nation in preparing for this worst-case scenario... MORE

Collaboration key to developing 5G capabilities at JBSA experimentation site
June 6, 2022 — Two years ago this month, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering selected Joint Base San Antonio as one of several installations where experimentation and testing of fifth-generation, or 5G, communications technology would take place. In the time since, great advances have been made toward developing 5G augmented reality support for telemedicine and medical training, and in 5G cyber security, at America’s largest joint base... MORE

502nd Air Base Wing keeps communication lines open with area chambers
July 23, 2021 — The Joint Base San Antonio Annual Chamber Summit was hosted by Brig. Gen. Caroline Miller, 502nd Air Base Wing and JBSA commander at the Fort Sam Houston Community Center July 20, bringing together chambers of commerce from throughout the JBSA area... MORE

Exciting future awaits DOD medicine
April 29, 2021 — Overall, 5G is still in its infancy and almost all of the initial rollout has been focused on high-speed data for consumers, including fixed wireless access (home and enterprise broadband). However, the most transformational aspects of 5G are yet to come. ... MORE

JBSA experiments with 5G Telemedicine, Medical Training
April 28, 2021 — In June 2020, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Research & Engineering) named Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) as an experimentation site for 5G augmented reality support for telemedicine and medical training. Although telemedicine is already happening today, it is often inhibited by a lack of adequate digital connectivity supporting the data speeds and volumes needed to provide real-time virtual healthcare... MORE

San Antonio with 5G representation lines.

San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense collaborative marks two-year anniversary
March 21, 2021 — The San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense collaborative marked its two-year anniversary at a quarterly meeting March 19 when they welcomed Dr. George H. Baker, former senior science advisor to the National Security Council and senior advisor to the Congressional Electromagnetic Pulse, or EMP, Commission, as keynote speaker... MORE

The SA-EMD was created by the Joint Base San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense Initiative and has grown from a concept to a vibrant coalition of nearly 400 subject matter experts, community leaders, researchers, educators and many more.

Power grid protection at forefront of San Antonio, JBSA electromagnetic defense initiatives
January 12, 2021 — In March 2019, members of the San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense, SA-EMD, and Joint Base San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense Initiative, JBSA-EDI, mapped out a basic strategy to ensure military operations in San Antonio will continue in a post-electromagnetic pulse, or post-EMP, environment. Their first line of effort is infrastructure resiliency... MORE

CPS Energy’s Vice President of Grid Transformation & Engineering, Richard Medina, front, and Chief Security, Safety & Gas Solutions Officer Fred Bonewell evaluate security measures at an area substation.

Defense against electromagnetic pulse priority for SA-EMD
October 1, 2020 — Imagine waking up one morning with no electricity, no cell service, and no chance of them returning for months. That is the potential nightmare of an electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, whether naturally occurring or man-made... MORE

Michael Lovell, executive director of the Joint Base San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense Initiative and 5G program executive, speaks to attendees of the San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense quarterly meeting held virtually Sept. 29, 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Electromagnetic Pulse Defense teams continue building resiliency
May 15, 2020 — The San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio electromagnetic defense partnership has made great strides since its inception just over a year ago, and they continue building resiliency against harmful electromagnetic pulses during the COVID-19 pandemic... MORE

Joint Base San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense Initiative member Lt. Col. Eddie K. “Thumper” Stamper teleconferences with leadership from the FBI InfraGard National Disaster Resiliency Council May 11, 2020.

San Antonio’s electromagnetic defense partners continue building strategy for Alamo Region
December 9, 2019 — One year ago last month, Joint Base San Antonio leaders brought together local subject matter experts from government, military, industry, research, and academia to create a collaborative pilot project known as San Antonio Electromagnetic Defense, or SA-EMD, as part of the JBSA Electromagnetic Defense Initiative, or JBSA-EDI... MORE

Lt. Col. Eddie K. Stamper (center), Joint Base San Antonio-Electromagnetic Defense Initiative project officer, speaks with J.O. McFalls, McFalls Associates LLC, and Klaus Weiswurm, Innovation Technology Machinery chairman and an appointee to the U.S. Air Force Civic Leader Program, before the quarterly San Antonio Electromagnetic Defense meeting at Southwest Research Center Nov. 18.