Transforming Into a Mobile-First Military
With America’s gaze set on potential threats and the expanding power of the Republic of China, we face the reality that we do not own the battle space of air, land and sea.
In the Indo-Pacific, the seas are anticipated to become highly contested, and airspace will be extremely challenging. Massive cargo ships could face restrictions, and traditional communication networks will likely shut down within 24 hours of an initial attack.
“We’ll likely live in a world where the only things we can rely on are mobile devices that we can put in our pockets, and that may be our only mechanism of communication,” said Lt. Col. Tyler Hough, chief technology officer for the U.S. Air Force Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation (BESPIN) software factory.
Notably, there is no guarantee the United States will dominate in a peer-to-peer conflict. In this event, history will favor the nation that formulates and executes the most astute strategic vision, coupled with exceptional logistics and operational efficiency.
As the National Defense Strategy guides the joint force toward defending the nation against near-peer adversaries, BESPIN believes that a mobile-first military will be a key enabler.
“Leveraging mobile technology within the Department of Defense (DoD) to enhance mobility, efficiency, communication and overall operational and mission capabilities is a necessity in today’s economic and political climate,” Hough stated.
The ability to harness the power of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices offers a plethora of advantages that significantly contribute to operational and mission success. Although technology is advancing more and more each year, the DoD’s technology advantage is held back by legacy systems and outdated practices.
There are several reasons for this. One is because security and reliability are mission-critical. The U.S. government must be sure that new technologies are secure before allowing them to be used in the field, which means taking the time to properly vet them. Warfighters continue to bring pallets of equipment and data with them to the fight because the method worked in the past, and arguably, the DoD doesn’t trust its networks and their ability to be resilient in contested environments. However, with the advent of mobile technologies, 5G networks and mesh network resiliency, the DoD needs to reexamine its primary, alternate, contingency and emergency communication plans.
With the emergence of agile combat employment (ACE) and great power competition concepts, now is the time to deliver a scalable integrated 5G network coupled with edge computing to the forefront of the battlefield. Mobile can shift operations from a centralized physical infrastructure concept to a survivable distributed network of smaller, dispersed locations.
As a mobile center of excellence, BESPIN is working to change the narrative around mobile devices and prove that 5G is a secure and viable option for our nation’s armed forces.
By highlighting stories of successful implementation and telling the benefits of mobile devices, we can shift the focus from server racks to mobile devices and move the needle toward advanced mobility.
Just for a second, imagine a version of the U.S. armed forces where, upon assignment notification, every service member is not only issued a laptop but a mobile device prepopulated with the applications and information they’ll need to do their jobs. Even better, what if they could effectively conduct missions over a secure and reliable mobile network? Access to a mobile operations support suite would not only increase force mobility, but it would also increase our lethality by establishing a military Internet of Things.
Logistical Efficiency Creates Nimble Response Times
Army Gen. Omar Bradley said it best: “Amateurs talk strategy, professionals talk logistics.” Logistical challenges are inherent in military endeavors, and mobile technologies play a pivotal role in addressing those battlefield logistics challenges.
Mobile technologies can quickly and accurately facilitate real-time asset tracking and visibility, inventory management, emergency response, route optimization, tracking maintenance and repairs, training documentation, data analysis and reporting, and so much more. This, in turn, enhances the overall effectiveness of military operations by ensuring that resources are deployed judiciously and timely.
When we’re talking about ACE or the fight in the Indo-Pacific Command region, warfighters will not be able to drive an 18-wheeler hauling bundles of networking wires and servers onto an Air Force Base. We will have to be lean, and mobile is inherently lean. When you couple that with the cloud, you create an environment where data can be processed using a distributed network versus a centralized data center. At BESPIN, we are making this happen.
Logistical efficiency directly impacts the success of ACE operations, a concept developed by the Air Force to enhance the agility and flexibility of its forces in a rapidly changing and contested operational environment.
ACE relies heavily on a responsive and adaptable logistics infrastructure to support the rapid deployment, sustainment and repositioning of military forces in dynamic and contested environments. The nimble response times created through mobile technology are particularly important as America has transitioned from the Global War on Terror to focusing on the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of operations.
Distributed operations
Mobile technology better supports and enables distributed operations. Distributed operations in the military refers to a strategic and operational concept where military forces are dispersed across a wide geographic area, often operating in smaller, more autonomous units rather than concentrated in a centralized location, similar to a hub and spoke formation. Distributed operations have become more prominent with advancements in technology, allowing for effective communication and coordination over long distances.
With a distributed operations infrastructure architecture, the nodes inside of that architecture can communicate with any other node inside, making it much more complex to attack and take down because if one node fails, operations are pushed over to another node. This enhances flexibility, survivability and adaptability in the face of dynamic and complex battlefield conditions.
A distributed network can also be created within a set of mobile devices using mesh technologies, making each device an encrypted edge computing system with the ability to support the mission, without the need for a centralized server or even an internet connection.
Distributed operations using mobile devices and apps means that, for example, a system analyst can support their part of a mission from anywhere in the world instead of having to walk into a building to conduct their mission. It means that battle damage assessments can be performed closer to where the data is being generated, radically reducing assessment lead times. And if for whatever reason, a device becomes compromised, it can be remotely deactivated and others can still operate independently of the compromised device. There wouldn’t be a need to reimage a server, so operations are more resilient in this scenario.
Data at your fingertips
Imagine you are a logistician supporting ACE, and you are trying to put a missile on a jet. Supporting ACE would be a massive challenge and stress on current logistics systems.
The data related to missile deployment and logistics is stored in a centralized computer in a building. Logisticians physically need to go to this building, log on to a computer and understand the location of the missile within the supply depot.
Loading the missile onto a jet requires returning to the building for necessary information, creating a time-consuming process. The need to keep data updated involves frequent return trips to the centralized location. This process prohibits ACE. Along with prepositioning packages, defining tailorable logistics packages and leveraging commercial means, the contested logistics mission needs a mobile operations support suite.
Mobile capabilities will allow logisticians to access up-to-date data directly at the point of action and provide automated data updates across a vast network. This would be inherently valuable in ACE, where the military can’t afford to have a massive logistics tail with a lot of IT equipment to support the military’s current concept of operations.
Converting the naysayers
Fear is eliminated through transparency. Once a fear is identified, transparency can ease that fear. Concerns related to security are mitigated by being transparent with the way applications are built and how they’re deployed into mature mobile device management and related forums. Details about how apps are approved and authorized for use can resolve concerns.
At BESPIN, we secure applications similarly to how weapon systems are secured. We’ve taken the automated weapon system accreditation process and applied it to mobile applications through our continuous authority to operate to provide the confidence and the risk mitigation that whatever we produce is accredited, secure and ready for use.
The fear of change is another very real reason for the DoD’s slow adoption of advanced mobile technology. BESPIN can affect that by improving the user’s experience. This is why design matters. If the design and user experience on a mobile device are 100 times better than what they are today, another barrier is knocked down.
In the face of evolving global threats and the imperative for military readiness, embracing a mobile-first approach is not just a strategic choice but a necessity. The agility, resilience and efficiency offered by mobile technologies are paramount in navigating the complexities of modern warfare, particularly in contested environments like the Indo-Pacific.
As we advance into an era defined by agile combat employment and great power competition, it is imperative for the DoD to prioritize the integration of mobile capabilities into its operational frameworks.
Let us seize this moment to revolutionize our military infrastructure and empower our warfighters with the tools they need to succeed. Embrace the mobile revolution; secure our future.
Briana Wilson, BESPIN communications specialist, contributed to this article.
Matt Nelson is a seasoned technology leader with extensive experience driving innovation and transformation across the public and private sectors. As chief technology officer at Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation (BESPIN), Nelson champions the Air Force's Mobile Software Factory, coordinating people, processes and technology to achieve continuous delivery and advance mobile adoption throughout the Department of Defense. Nelson currently serves as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, where he applies his strategic vision to drive innovation through the implementation of DevSecOps practices.
The opinions expressed in this article are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of AFCEA International.
