Warfighter Readiness in the Digital Battlespace

Booz Allen Vice President Cameron Mayer recently joined Defense One for the annual virtual event, Outlook 2022, to share his vision of modern warfare. He explored technology trends driving the joint forces toward an increasingly data-driven digital battlespace and offered insight into preparing warfighters for this environment. Mayer emphasized data-driven results, open solutions, and increased speed in integrating joint training capabilities as top strategies for warfighter preparation and seamless joint force operation in the digital battlespace.

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In Mayer’s vision, a few trends are propelling the nation's military toward a more digital battlespace. First, the recognition that to compete with near-peer adversaries, warfighting must be joint, and incorporate all domains. Second, an urgency to modernize across the Department of Defense (DOD) is driving technological innovation. Finally, the technology revolution itself has inspired and enabled a new way of fighting.

So, what does this new digital battlespace look like? Mayer painted a detailed picture. The Navy will grow unmanned vessels to a third of its fleet. Augmented reality (AR) will enhance soldier training globally. Artificial intelligence (AI) will process data from sensors that connect the joint forces and deliver instant insight at the edge. Electronic, information, and cyber warfare have become dominant strategies. The United States is in a race for decision advantage and the ability to aggregate, process, and deliver information to make decisions faster than adversaries is crucial.

In this new environment, it is critical that warfighters trust their training technology. Mayer shares Booz Allen’s top three strategies to prepare warfighters for tomorrow’s battles and accelerate connectivity across the joint forces:

1. 1. Focus on data-driven results. Mayer emphasized the importance of proving the value of new technology with quantitatively measured performance. When building immersive training solutions for warfighters using haptics and AI in the Booz Allen innovation center, cognitive and physical performance was meticulously measured through sensor data. The feedback was used to improve the technology and ensure enhanced warfighter readiness.
2. 2. Deliver open solutions. Build a network of soldier training technologies and sensors on open architectures, with government-owned APIs. The threat environment changes rapidly, demanding constant innovation in training technology. Open solutions enable sharing and integration across joint training environments.
3. 3. Increase speed in delivering joint training capabilities. Time is everything in the digital battlespace. There must be a strong partnership between government and industry to optimize speed to market. To increase the speed to deliver joint training capabilities, DOD can streamline the acquisition process and establish multistep procurements, and industry innovators can commit to open solutions.

Mayer closed his speech with reflections on the importance of collaboration. Government and industry have a shared mission of enabling warfighters to maintain the tactical edge needed to prevail. Data-driven, open, and rapidly delivered training will help soldiers master the joint, multidomain battlespace and win the race for decision advantage.