Understanding the answer to this question requires one to understand the cooperative relationship enjoined by the participating federal, state and local public safety entities. That is, that State of Alaska (SOA), Alaska Municipal League, Federal DOD and Federal Non- DOD partnered to address the requirement for security and interoperability, identified a solution and established a migration path to that solution. The objectives of the cooperative is to promote system development by sharing existing resources, burden sharing system costs for operations that maximizes economies of scale, and initiates consolidated procurement and maintenance activities. The result is the ALMR System, which provides the needed communications capability for State, local and federal first responders and public safety entities in Alaska, through an integrated wireless network, that is secure and interoperable, that is cost effective and technologically sound