Cloud Computing in the Military

Data is an important entity that reflects information related to a particular subject or area of interest. It also helps in the analysis of past performance and acts as a crucial factor for future decisions. In every domain, the importance of data is immense, but large organisations need systems to store such huge amounts of data and use it when needed.

Illustration by Team Geostrata

Organisations and individuals often use physical devices such as hard drives to store data, but that, too, has a limited capacity and delays the process. To overcome such problems, the term cloud computing comes into play, where an organisation pays the cloud company to store their data in their software, which can be accessed anytime by the organisation. 

This method makes it easy for large-scale organisations to store their data; even individuals can access cloud storage, upload their files, and access it anytime.

Cloud computing services are provided by various companies, such as Amazon AWS Cloud Computing Services, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, Adobe Creative Cloud, IBM Cloud Services, etc. 

Recently, Amazon secured an AUSD 2 billion contract with Australia to build a top-secret cloud, providing secure data storage for military intelligence. This deal was particularly done by the Australian Signals Directorate, which is responsible for intelligence, cyber security, and offensive cyber operations in support of the Australian Government and the Australian Defence Force (ADF). 

This deal signifies the involvement of the private sector in the military domain and displays a change in the approach of intelligence agencies for data storage. However, it is not the first time that defence establishments have used cloud computing and private sector services. The Pentagon has also signed a $9 billion deal with Microsoft to develop a cloud computing system that can cover 1,700 data centres. 

HOW IT CAN HELP THE MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE SERVICES

Such a system can store large amounts of data and make it accessible at the right time. This system can  provide crucial information to soldiers during operations, and communication and information transfer are crucial on the battlefield. As a result, this system will provide better operational capabilities. 

As multiple intelligence agencies and military units can access the cloud, interservice capabilities will also be enhanced. For example, if a nation has various intelligence services such as military intelligence, external intelligence, and internal intelligence agencies, each of which has different assets and resources for information collection, if all that information could be stored and accessed on a common platform, it would increase the intelligence sharing and analysis capabilities of the nation’s intelligence services. 

Nations today want to leverage the potential of artificial intelligence for intelligence gathering and military purposes. As a result, countries are developing their capabilities in terms of AI. To get efficient results from AI, first, it needs to be trained and to do so, all the information needs to be on a single platform.

As a result, cloud storage is used by military establishments to secure their information and later use it to train their AI model or analyse past performance. The AI model, based on the information fed, can create strategies, suggest improvements, and identify or predict future threats.

INVOLVEMENT OF COMPANIES IN NATIONAL SECURITY

Military and intelligence services around the world deal with private companies. This model has worked very well in the United States, where most of the defence contracts are given to private firms. As a result, the US military gets the most advanced technology.

DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) has played a major role in it, where it has initiated and funded research by various institutions for military technology. It was said that the military first uses every invention and then comes into the hands of the general public, but it seems that with the involvement of big tech and capitalist economies, this trend is changing. 

As national security benefits from the involvement of private companies, it also poses a serious threat of espionage or information leaks. In the past, there have been successful attempts to access sensitive information about the US military through the channels of private firms. As a result, the state needs to ensure that the system is secured and that private firms have no access to it once it is in use. 

Image Credits: Rightful Owner

As global warfare changes, military and intelligence agencies adapt new ways to deal with threats. Making new strategies, acquiring new technologies, and enhancing past capabilities are part of it. We have entered an era where private and military partnerships are essential for new-age warfare.

On the one hand, they empower the military with new capabilities and promote research in the military domain, while on the other hand, they give power to private firms and big tech, by making the military dependent on such firms. 

Too much dependence and trust in the private sector might harm the national interest, as these firms function independently and cannot be forced to do anything. The government can set up a system to monitor the development and functioning of firms that are in some way involved with the military and intelligence agencies.

---

BY JATIN CHAWLA

TEAM GEOSTRATA

info@thegeostrata.com