Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as saying: "An army marches on its stomach." Well, today's army runs on its data.

Stop for a moment and consider just how many computers and computerized devices and sensors are involved in the modern military machine. All of those computers, embedded systems and devices generate a substantial amount of data. Once it is generated, the vast majority of it is stored for multiple reasons. With that as the context, think about all the data the modern military generates and needs to store!

As reported earlier on C4ISRNET, IDC looked at the data growth trends and projected that by 2020 the digital data universe will reach 44 zettabytes. That's 44 trillion gigabytes.

Mid-2016 estimates suggest there are nearly 3.5 billion internet users and they will be generating a huge amount of data on an ongoing basis. It is highly likely that the figures above do not include the sensitive systems and data that are operated by our military and intelligence community. For example, stop and consider all the imagery data from airborne sources as well as our satellites. It is highly likely that all the new technologies, advanced robotics, Internet of Things, automation of knowledge work and other technologies that are poised to advance the current concepts we have of the modern battlefield will generate huge amounts of data. Let’s not forget all the data that will be generated by modern military clothing (wearable electronics) with the embedded computers/sensors.

Multiple military programs — such as Future Force Warrior in the United States, Israel’s Integrated Advanced Soldier or the UK’s Future Infantry Soldier Technology — will generate a substantial amount of data from their initiatives that use wearable electronics.

While much of this data will be processed and used in a real-time enough modality, it will still need to be saved and reexamined in the future for many reasons. In addition, all this data will have a secondary impact on analytics-driven intelligence; so that sub-area will be dramatically changing, as well. In fact, it is changing in several ways. Arguably the biggest change is the plethora of data that is being collected, evaluated and then stored for future use as well as examining incorrect decisions based on the historical data. All of this adds up to where many believe that the military must fundamentally change its approach to near-real time big-data analytics.

The technical progress of the entire world is driving the growth of data to incredible levels. With all that data, you have to admit that is a very attractive target for cyber thieves participating in espionage activities. Stealing data is one thing, but there is another issue to be concerned with: Consider the possible implication of delays between gathering data, analyzing that data, and presenting conclusions or recommendations to commanders in time of conflict. Delaying or alerting command could have deadly consequences. Data is a precious asset that must be protected at the point where the data is generated all the way through to where it is utilized and stored for later analysis and use.

The world is certainly changing, and as the military prepares for the evolving threat environment and future challenges, data will become an asset that grows significantly in importance and size. That makes the military a target-rich environment for would-be hackers of the world. Proper protection against disruption, theft, and outside manipulation and alteration of all this data is essential. That would seem to mandate security being built in and not treated as an afterthought or add-on! That is a far different mindset from the way most operate today. Some even believe that will not go far enough! So what is the answer? That is the question many of our nation’s best and brightest are working to answer. Let’s just hope we have an answer before it is too late.

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