Nowadays, with the explosion of the use of information technology, and not only within the armed forces, it is essential for the latter to control and continually reinforce their security level as well as the means of protection and defense of information systems. The security of data is essential in order to carry out missions in complete safety from cyber-attacks by opponents or ill-intentioned individuals. Guaranteeing digital sovereignty is an ongoing challenge for nations and armies.
Ideal to facilitate military operations
The use of digital data and the expansion of information systems have given rise to a new environment in which conflict and competition can coexist. This new environment, cyberspace, is now seen as a weapon of use in all military operations. Cyberspace is defined as « a global domain consisting of the mesh network of information technology infrastructure (including the Internet), telecommunications networks, computer systems, processors and embedded control mechanisms ». It includes the digital information transported as well as the operators of online services according to the Ministry of the Army.
At the military level, many operational capabilities now rely in part on the use and management the use and control of cyberspace. Indeed, all operations in the digital field aim at facilitating operations in other operational environments, such as land, air, sea and space environments. It is therefore to be up-to-date in terms of technology to maintain its operational superiority. Whether it is artificial intelligence, robotics, big data or the internet of things, also known as « technological game-changers », they should no longer hold any secrets for the defense sector.
Intelligent and predictive warfare
In addition, these technological game-changers offer capabilities for understanding and modeling military operating environments. A new form of warfare is emerging predictive warfare, via all the tools of Modeling – Simulation – Optimization (MSO), or decision support and understanding tools and models. The amount of information generated on the ground, the computing power and processing capabilities, as well as predictive algorithms, are going to be at the heart of the battlefield and military strategy.
Cyberspace and sovereignty
Knowing how to use and understand all of this data is essential to maintaining sovereignty. Cyberspace could represent a real space that favors the union of other traditional fields of confrontation.
Cyberspace represents a whole universe of information that circulates, but also disinformation, propaganda, terrorism, espionage, sabotage or any other form of criminality. It is a place where a lot of precious information circulates, hence the interest to protect it and to anticipate any potential fault or technological advance to ensure their protection.
Sources:
La cyberdéfense au sein de l’armée française
Comment la guerre numérique change l’armée française (radiofrance.fr)
Le ministère des Armées annonce la création de l’Agence du numérique de défense (siecledigital.fr)
Révolution numérique : vers une armée numérique ? – GeoStrategia – L’agora stratégique 2.0
Les NTIC et les transformations du champ de bataille | Cairn.info