Defining the Advanced Computing Technologies that Will Drive the Future of Defense Capability
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital technology, the Department of Defense (DoD) faces a critical challenge in staying ahead. Technological advantage is a critical tool in the arsenal of democracy, supporting our national security apparatus in defending adversaries in theatre and through deterrence. Today, in a world where technological advantage isn’t exclusive to conventional military capabilities like fires but is instead powered by silicon, this challenge involves strength in Advanced Computing & Software, one of the 14 critical technology areas identified by the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. While advanced computing and software may not be the most glamorous areas of investment in defense tech — like hypersonics or microelectronics — they are critical components of the overall innovation strategy for DoD.
However, this term “Advanced Computing & Software” can be ambiguous and broad. So, what do we mean when we talk about Advanced Computing? To simplify, the space encompasses a wide range of capabilities, from computing architecture and software development to cloud computing and software acquisition. It’s the fundamental nuts and bolts that drive the decision and logic engines of our major warfighting platforms. Let’s unpack three of these computing trends with an eye toward how their technological features will drive capability and advantage for the warfighter as well as the risks to be considered.
One emergent area within advanced computing is high-performance computing (HPC). Quite simply, these high performance computers have more power, more speed, and more efficiency than traditional computers, enabling them to carry out more complex tasks and unlock more potential. For defense applications these can support decision-makers in processing information across various sensor technologies, manage autonomous systems across domains, or drive advances in R&D. But how? These computing systems are able to effectively integrate a large number of constituent units in conjunction and in parallel to accomplish a task. Most supercomputer startups pursue either vector or cluster models, where computers work in parallel processes or in bite-sized collaborations respectively to solve problems. These use mostly traditional IC designs and are thereby limited by Moore’s Law and face scalability challenges with increasing complexity of problems.
A second form of computing advancement, cloud has certainly been around for a long time now. Even in DoD circles, the failed Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) has left way for the worse-named Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability (JWCC) and the DoD Cloud Strategy is 5 years old. But with the dust settled on how the DoD will leverage its own secure cloud environment, progress can be made on the capability driven by cloud computing. The proliferation of multi-cloud environments — especially those used by the DoD — will lead to increasing concern about load-balancing and cloud optimization. Here, ideas like a supercloud — which enables users to toggle between environments, availability zones, and providers based on mission requirements can be used to increase efficiency and decrease cost. In addition, the expansion of compute capabilities in the cloud can lead to an increased emphasis on outsourcing operations to PaaS and SaaS providers, which the DoD has struggled to acquire previously through its traditional procurement process.
Another interesting computing trend to think about is edge computing — the capability of edge devices and IoT systems to compute in-situ, as opposed to using a cloud or other server. The power of the edge is clear for defense contexts, the ability to sync and compute in the field can increase security, reduce latency, and improve cost and energy efficiency of compute infrastructures. However, with the edge security is critical: the expansion of compute infrastructure means the growth of the potential attack surface for adversaries to exploit. DoD stakeholders must be mindful of their cybersecurity posture for both edge and cloud deployments.
Ultimately, with each of these three advances in compute technology, defense stakeholders face both opportunity and risk. But the challenge is not reason to turn away. Acquisition reform which priorities these capabilities to be rapidly fielded and deployed can enable DoD to grow and experiment while it employs advances in compute capability. And from a private capital perspective, investment in emergent ventures that are building these robust compute platforms can help drive innovation from the commercial sector. An advanced computing strategy for DoD cannot include just one or some of these capabilities but it must explore the opportunity to build around any and all of them. Supercomputing, Cloud computing, and Edge computing will all enable sustained technological advantage for America and its allies.
Advanced Computing & Software might not grab headlines, but it’s an indispensable cornerstone of modern defense. The ability to harness its potential is crucial for the DoD’s missions. The interconnected nature of this field emphasizes the need for investments to complete the ecosystem. By advancing our capabilities in this area, we pave the way for a more secure and efficient defense posture.
