Joint operations demand a digital battlefield. Here are key steps for delivering

Cloud-based high-performance computing that is pushed out to the edge gives deployed troops the speed and ubiquitous network connectivity to help them leverage AI tools and enable functionality tailored to the specific mission.

The push toward technology-enabled military dominance and lethality isn’t new -- it is a concept that is nearly as old as war itself. The technology certainly has changed, but the bottom line has not: Secure the decisive advantage and use it to win.

Today that warfighting imperative exists in a complex landscape that’s advancing at a clip far more rapid and more fluid than in previous eras. At least part of this environment is fueled by a commercial world built on technological agility, innovation and, in some cases, near-instant obsolescence.

As the Defense Department and other government agencies look to capitalize on industry’s momentum, the struggle to keep up, to operate at machine-speed and to find a way around bureaucratic log jams and technological disruption all put the U.S. at a tipping point.

“The biggest competitive threat is our own obsolescence,” Lt. Gen. Michael Groen, director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, said recently at a Potomac Officers Club event. “We can’t operate that way. We can’t win that way.”

Groen repeatedly has pointed to the path industry has created for the military to follow: employ scalable artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, modernized business systems and the tools and infrastructure that enable machine-speed data integration and informed decision-making.

These are the catalysts for a joint force that operates cohesively, at a faster tempo than the enemy and with the type of synchronized, real-time common operational picture that’s vital for the U.S. in the cyber domain. This is even more relevant as AI -- and the government’s applications of it -- continue to mature, and as it’s combined with other game-changing elements.

Cybersecurity challenges ranging from data poisoning of AI to zero-day exploits in platforms and applications are the reality of operating in this high-stakes and real-time environment.  That places a premium on leveraging maturing commercial ecosystems of comprehensive cybersecurity capabilities -- think extended technology suites or a security fabric that provides constant visibility, anomaly detection and, in some cases, automated fixes.

It’s harder for the adversary to hide when the spotlight is shining and the computer never blinks. Bring that light to the tactical edge and watch true transformation unfold.

Powering speed and data at the foggy edge

High-performance computing (HPC) and processing is making its way to the tactical edge, though as far as some military leaders are concerned, it can’t happen fast enough. With processing available closer to the edge, the pace of collecting, sorting, organizing and creating intelligence from data is dramatically accelerated. In this sense, the cloud -- where data is stored and where the tools operate to manipulate that data and create actionable intelligence -- represents the future of warfighting. But this future also hinges on speed and capability of sensors and systems at the foggy tactical edge.

Cloud-based HPC that is pushed out to the edge -- “fog computing” -- delivers to deployed troops the speed and ubiquitous network connectivity to help them leverage AI tools and enable functionality tailored to the specific mission. Much of that delivery of power to the tactical edge will ride on commercial technology, but once it’s there, operators will blend it with decades of DOD’s unique experience and track record of innovation.

After all, it was the intelligence community and DOD that, in moves a decade ahead of the private sector, expansively deployed sensors in the search for Osama bin Laden. This was the vanguard of instrumenting the battlefield environment -- strategically placing sensors in key terrain to find and identify those communicating with bin Laden and generating the data and analysis eventually leading the U.S. to his location.

This was exquisite technology at the time, and it’s what the power of data in a Joint All-Domain Command and Control context represents: convergence of information from across services, domains, platforms and applications to create decisive intelligence- and speed-driven advantage. The result: capabilities inconceivable just a few years ago, or a digital joint operating construct such as JADC2 that enables data and situational awareness to be real-time and actionable across domains and platforms.

Forward-leaning research and development efforts in industry and within DOD are focused on bringing high-capacity compute and processing to the tactical edge through a number of avenues. This includes software-defined networking, architectures built on cloud-based networking, low Earth orbit satellite communications, 5G, advanced antennas for collection and communication as well as smaller-footprint CPUs, GPUs and DPUs (data processing units) that bring more computing horsepower to a variety of air, ground and sea platforms.

“These initiatives are all, at their core, about getting the entire battle environment digitized, OK? The key is speed of data, having situational awareness, getting data from sensor to shooter as quickly as you can, being as agile as you can. You don’t know who the shooter might be, so you need to have that situational awareness and you need to be agile enough to move data at the speed of relevance,” Acting Air Force Secretary John Roth recently said at an Air Force Association event. “Digitization is the core competency that all of us need for the battlespace of the future.”

To achieve that core competency, industry needs to play its part in providing high-powered, seamless and secure digital functionality at the tactical edge.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.