Why 5/6G Will Accelerate the Digital Evolution of Military Affairs?

 What is 5/6G Wireless, and Why the Military are Interested?

Civilian wireless technology has been advancing steadily through generations of cellular communications, from GSM to 5G, and is now waiting for 6G to be deployed. This evolution of wireless communication has enabled online commerce and social media, almost killing radio and TV, smart cities, smarter governments, etc.  The military has been applying new ways of person-to-person communication, seeking information, and doing everyday business. Sometimes, this application has followed the development of Military Affairs, and sometimes, new services have replaced military proprietary services. Many militaries assess smartphones and 5G connections as Operational Security issues rather than enablers in the Area of Operation.

Nevertheless, ISIS used commercial telephony and personal computing as the foundation for their Command and Control support. National Security Agencies' separate TETRA and P25 systems are being replaced with virtual and sliced push-to-talk services on top of 4 and 5G. Furthermore, 5G waveforms are replacing manufacturers’ proprietary to improve connectivity and interoperability at the tactical level. The dual use of 5G technology is gaining traction within Military Affairs.

Current Military Approaches to Benefit from 5G Technology

Table 1 shows that the Military is not merely a spectator of emerging technologies but actively applies them to military affairs. The intentions vary from enjoying faster wireless bandwidth to integrating sensor-commander-effector-loops on the battlefield. 

Table 1: Samples of Military Initiatives and Approaches to benefit from 5G technologies

What else may the 5/6G technologies offer the military besides faster wireless connectivity? Let’s have a systematic view of possible benefits.

5/6G Changes the Infrastructure Layer (networking, transfer and processing)

In this case, the infrastructure layer includes networking, data transfer and processing functions, as illustrated in Figure 1. The wireless 5/6G evolution improves the access network from the edge to terminal capacity and connectivity and lowers the latency if cellular base stations are connected via a high-bandwidth terrestrial network. Non-terrestrial, air- and spaceborne base stations are available to improve accessibility and simplify the integration. The terrestrial and non-terrestrial 5G base stations compose a three-point access network with standard transfer and networking functions.  This multi-domain connectivity will replace legacy tactical data links while improving the availability of access and roaming and extending the range over the horizon, features essential in the Joint All-Domain C2 (JADC2) concept promoted by David Deptula.  

Furthermore, with higher frequencies, the cell sizes are smaller, and the Effective Radiated Power (ERP) is less, which means that transceivers' low probability of detection and identification (LPI/LPD) improves.  However, with lower frequencies, higher transceiver density, and smaller radiation patterns, deploying dual-use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Operational Technology on the battlefield becomes feasible. 

 

With 5/6 G enhanced wireless communications, the access network becomes more versatile than the legacy Local Area Network (LAN) topology. For example, command posts can be distributed across a wider area without losing seamless collaboration connectivity. Platforms become cell base stations, providing access points to Mobile Adhoc Networks (MANET) within and between platoons, squadrons, teams, and higher organisations. Expendable, swarming sensors and effectors can be connected to a larger tactical unit even in an electromagnetically contested environment. 

Furthermore, the new Open Radio Access Network (ORAN)  and all-encompassing Internet Protocol (IP) solve the current technical-level interoperability issues. They allow you to create virtual, sliced, or private military network domains parallel to other network users without creating congestion points or bottlenecks. 

The flexible network and transport layers support data flows that enable hybrid clouds and hybrid computing, which varies between different clouds, edges, and endpoints. Hybrid computing provides optimal data processing for a task, addressing anything between real-time, big data, or algorithm-crunching requirements. 

Figure 1: An illustration of a possible technology stack on top of more efficient communications

References:

1. https://5gstore.com/blog/2024/12/05/6g-vs-5g-compare-and-explore/
2. https://www.esa.int/Applications/Connectivity_and_Secure_Communications/World-first_direct_5G_connection_to_low_Earth_orbit_satellite_opens_new_era_for_mobile_coverage
3. https://www.islandecho.co.uk/advanced-5g-connectivity-system-tested-rigorously-on-britten-norman-islander-aircraft/
4. https://governmenttechnologyinsider.com/soaring-to-new-heights-with-airborne-to-ground-4g-5g-communications-and-enhanced-wireless-connectivity-part-1/
5. https://theairpowerjournal.com/battle-command-architecture-all-domain-operations/
6. https://www.baesystems.com/en/blog/electronic-warfare---the-invisible-battlespace
7. https://www.mwrf.com/markets/defense/article/55136984/blu-wireless-the-digital-battlefield-transforming-military-operations-through-data-and-connectivity
8. https://www.dni.gov/index.php/gt2040-home/gt2040-deeper-looks/future-of-the-battlefield
9. https://www.nokia.com/networks/radio-access-networks/open-ran/open-ran-explained/
10. https://www.ericsson.com/en/network-slicing
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model
12. https://cloud.google.com/learn/what-is-hybrid-cloud
13. https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/5850147

The 4th industrial revolution will provide disrupting opportunities for the defence industry

 What is 4IR?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution or 4IR—is the next phase in the digitisation of the manufacturing sector, driven by disruptive trends, including the rise of data and connectivity, analytics, human-machine interaction, and improvements in robotics.  Some will extend the industrial digital transformation to include also advances in biotechnology.  As a result of this perfect storm of technologies, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is paving the way for transformative changes in how we live and radically disrupting almost every business sector.  

Academics are already observing transformation both in the defence industry and gradually also in military affairs.  For example, connectivity and data collection enable automation, artificial cognition, autonomy, and enhanced awareness through military operations. So naturally, the U.S.A. aims to sustain their technological advantage by rearranging its defence industry and investing in research and development, such as artificial intelligence.  China and Russia also have high expectations for the 4IR enabling capabilities and dual use of emerging commercial technology.  

What are the areas of opportunity for 4IR enablement in the defence industry?

Defence capabilities are becoming more socio-technical in nature. Previously independent platforms got connected, and functions on each platform create more value as part of a grid or swarm rather than separately. Soldiers are not working with each other but cooperating with machines through advanced human-machine interfaces. The physical, cyber, and biological realms become interchangeable without clear boundaries. The convergence of the three realms enables the emergency of cyber-physical systems , i.e., software-defined everything or bio-cyber-physical systems, i.e., bio-mimicking systems  and cybernetics-driven synthetic biology .

Industrial engineering, design engineering and systems engineering  provide a framework to illustrate the systems life cycle, as illustrated in Figure 1. The life-cycle view can recognise some opportunities for 4IR enhancements or even disruptions within the cycle compared to the current situation. 

Figure 1: Systems life-cycle view 

The first way may disrupt the capability analysis and system requirements establishment of defence systems. In all-domain joint operations, symmetric platform combat is not a valid argument when the military is seeking systems impact and effect. Businesses and offer development may use modelling and simulation to illustrate their differentiation in the market and show how their proposal meets the evolving adversary capabilities.

Secondly, the digital twin concept enables designers to approach the solution with model-driven methods. As a result, possible solutions can be created and proven with real-life data before physical manufacturing or software development. 

Thirdly, the 4th industrial revolution will make it possible to produce prototypes faster than ever since one of the most significant barriers to prototyping is time. With 3D printing, the defence industry can create prototypes, experiment, and improve the design faster and cheaper than with 3rd industrial methods. 

Fourthly, the 4th industrial revolution will also change how information is shared within the defence industry. The new technologies will enable the real-time exchange of data across multiple sectors. The enhanced data exchange will improve collaboration between specialised industries and support their shared efforts in research and development within a defence ecosystem without working through large system integration consortiums. As a result, opportunities for faster innovation may emerge for clusters of smaller but more effectively cooperating companies. They may work around the defence giants if they can overcome the domestic political and public acquisition barriers.

Fifthly, the new technologies will enable the military to maintain their armament more efficiently. The remote operation requires online connectivity but allows a collection of run-time data from a platform, use of data to simulate availability trajectory, optimise availability, and call platforms individually for physical maintenance. Furthermore, the inspection with computer vision will provide faster and better information on a visible tear and wear than any human technician. Combining data from built-in sensors and visual observation will create a foundation for proactive maintenance. Furthermore, the software-defined features will provide a longer life cycle to military platforms as their features and abilities can be defined and changed by configuring software differently.

The 4th industrial revolution may also affect the acquisition of high-level competencies. The new technologies will enable the establishment of teams of people with tailored competencies for the job. Even further, with digital means of sourcing knowledge workers, the defence industry can use short-term freelance force or award open innovation societies to innovate their offer developments.

What is keeping the defence industry from benefitting from 4IR?

Unfortunately, the military, political interests, and public acquisition behaviour are slowing down the disruption in the defence industry. For example, the volatile globalisation and power competency are shaking the supply chain reliability. Government acquisition regulations, green transfer and national politics are changing the terms and conditions of defence contracts. The competition in edge products and achieved monopolies in other products are creating asymmetric but volatile markets. The core of 4IR is access to data. Therefore, the defence security requirements constrain the sharing and use of data to the fullest.  Furthermore, the revolution requires advanced semiconductor circuits, integrated circuits, data engineering and science competencies, intellectual properties, and integration capabilities. The U.S.A., with other advanced manufacturers and designers, are trying to constrain China and Russia from gaining these assets. 

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