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The modern battlespace extends into space and cyberspace, and adversary capabilities in these areas can be expected to expand in tomorrow’s strategic environment, increasing competition in and across all domains. To preserve and expand our military advantage in this new digital operating environment, the Joint Force must be adaptive, innovative and capable of seamlessly employing its capabilities across multiple regions and all domains. The speed of innovation and digital transformation are critical enablers to ensuring the highest readiness posture of our forces.
Information Technology is a critical enabler for the command and control of forces executing
warfighting operations, management and protection of information assets, and collaboration with
mission partners. Agile, resilient, transparent, seamless and secure IT infrastructure and services that transform data into actionable information and ensure dependable mission execution in
spite of the persistent cybersecurity threat are vital.
DOD launched a Digital Modernization strategy to leverage innovative technologies, strengthen cybersecurity, cultivate talent, provide greater efficiency, transition the Department to DoD-wide and shared services, enhance our ability to collaborate with mission partners during conflict and response to natural disasters, and improve business practices. The future DoD digital environment will provide seamless, agile, resilient, transparent and secure infrastructure and services that advance DoD information superiority and simplify information sharing with mission partners.
As the Army marches toward its goals of being a more ready, lethal, and modern force by 2028, it faces unprecedented challenges in modernizing its platforms and weapons systems, but also its business processes and workforce to dominate adversaries on and off the battlefield in multidomain operations (MDO), writes Christine E. Wormuth, Secretary of the Army.
New and emerging technologies continually change the digital landscape. Digital transformation represents a shift in operations and culture that fundamentally changes how an organization delivers value through the adoption of advanced technologies such as cloud, data, and artificial intelligence (AI). Digital transformation is driven through innovation and new business and operating models, powered by a digital workforce that is agile, adaptive, and tech-savvy.
The DoD Digital Modernization Strategy, which also serves as the Department’s Information
Resource Management (IRM) Strategic Plan, presents Information Technology (IT)-related
modernization goals and objectives. It presents the DoD Chief Information Officer’s (DoD CIO) vision for achieving the Department’s goals and creating “a more secure, coordinated, seamless, transparent, and cost-effective IT architecture that transforms data into actionable information and ensures dependable mission execution in the face of a persistent cyber threat.
To maintain pace with advancing technologies, the Department of Defense Software Modernization Strategy was approved February 1, 2022, and sets a path for technology and process transformation. The Department’s competitive advantage, today and tomorrow, is reliant on strategic insight, proactive innovation, and effective technology integration enabled through software capabilities.
DoD CIO Priorities are Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, and Command, Control and Communications (C3).
Digital Modernization Goals
Digital Modernization Goals include: Innovate for Competitive Advantage; Optimize for Efficiencies and Improved Capability; Evolve Cybersecurity for an Agile and Resilient Defense Posture; and Cultivate Talent for a Ready Digital Workforce.
Innovation is a key element of future readiness. It is essential to preserve and expand US military competitive advantage in the face of near-peer competition and asymmetric threats. Cloud and cognitive computing will significantly alter warfighting and defense business operations.
Recognizing this, the Department established the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) to accelerate the delivery of AI-enabled capabilities and is partnering with the industry to securely deliver commercial cloud capabilities in alignment with mission requirements. Modernization of the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN), a key component of the DODIN, will provide critical enhancements necessary to fully realize the benefits from cloud computing, big data analytics, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), increased automation and cognitive computing. Increased availability and use of secure, mobile, wireless platforms across the Department will increase Joint Force maneuver, accuracy, and information advantage.
Delivering IT capabilities with greater efficiency and performance requires the Department to reform the way it operates. In particular, the evaluation and implementation of suitable industry best current practices and proven technologies must be greatly accelerated, and oversight of IT spending must be improved. Ultimately, DoD’s Information Enterprise will consist of a streamlined number of data centers that effectively and efficiently meet DoD’s broad range of missions—from recruiting to acquisition management to command and control.
The scope, pace, and sophistication of malicious cyberspace activity continues to rise globally. Growing dependence on the cyberspace domain for nearly every essential civilian and military function makes this an urgent issue that must be addressed. . Every network, system, application and enterprise service must be secure by design, with cybersecurity managed throughout the acquisition lifecycle.
Competition for high quality, experienced digital workforce personnel is constant and increasingly aggressive. The Department of Defense is one of the three largest markets for this talent in the United States due to its size, its continuous adoption and adaptation of technology, and its extensive mission requirements.
Global Digital Battlefield Market
The global digital battlefield market is estimated at USD 43.2 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 154.1 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 17.2%
The diverse geopolitical conditions in the economies of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa are responsible for the rapidly changing dynamics of the digital battlefield market.
The increased frequency of border conflicts and terrorism in these areas also affects the market for digital battlefield goods, services, and solutions. In order to improve situational awareness and surveillance during combat scenarios, governments and defense agencies all over the world are implementing digital battlefield technologies.
Platform-wise, the market is divided into airborne, ground, naval, and space categories. According to CAGR, the space industry is anticipated to lead, with the highest CAGR between 2022 and 2030. Digital battlefield technologies installed on the space platform allow for the mapping of objects in real-time throughout the Earth and support satellite communication systems.
This will greatly aid the space segment’s expansion. According to projections, the airborne category will dominate the digital battlefield industry from 2022 through 2030. The increase in defense forces’ preference for digital battlefield products & systems is blamed for the expansion of the airborne market.
The new procurement segment is anticipated to dominate the digital battlefield market from 2022 to 2030, based on installation. Increased installation of cutting-edge defensive systems and growing purchases of digital battlefield goods for combat forces are to blame for the development in the new procurement segment.
Due to defense forces’ increased efforts to modify and modernize outdated military electronic equipment in order to acquire a competitive advantage over potential threats and enemy attacks, the upgrades market will experience significant development.
From 2022 to 2030, the digital battlefield market’s highest share is anticipated to come from the North American market.
For market analysis in the North American region, the US and Canada are important nations to take into account. Due to growing investments in digital battlefield technologies by governments in this region, this region is anticipated to dominate the market from 2022 to 2030.
With its robust economy and aggressive military policy, the US is acknowledged as one of the leading consumers and adopters of digitalization in the defense industry. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Raytheon, and Palantir are important US producers and developers of digital battlefield products and services.
The US has always depended on its advanced technology and rigorous training and professionalization standards to make up for its numerical disadvantage. As global competitors like China make significant investments to strengthen their capabilities, this advantage is increasingly eroding. The US is now being forced to expand its capabilities quickly as a result. In the North American region, the market growth will be greatly aided by this.
Few well-known companies dominate the digital battlefield sector, including Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), BAE Systems (UK), and Thales Group (US). These competitors have expanded their business operations over a number of nations, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
Industry developments
In August 2022, A $15 million contract from the U.S. Army was given to Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics Mission Systems to create concepts for the electronic warfare platform Terrestrial Layer System-Echelons Above Brigade.
The EAB is an electromagnetic assault and collecting system that combines electronic warfare, cyber, and signal intelligence capabilities. Combining all the system’s capabilities, it is possible to provide soldiers with information about their surroundings over vast distances.
In July 2022, as part of a multi-level security effort to provide the creation and management of systems as a unified force across all domains, the US Air Force has awarded Shreveport, Louisiana-based Praeses a contract worth up to $950 million for the Joint All Domain Command and Control environment (air, land, sea, space, cyber and electromagnetic spectrum).
References and Resources also include:
https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jul/12/2002156622/-1/-1/1/DOD-DIGITAL-MODERNIZATION-STRATEGY-2019.PDF
