Combat Cloud

The tactical cloud, or combat cloud, is the latest manifestation of Network Centric Warfare (NCW) as a multi-domain command and control system. Our analysis has shown that all technologically advanced nations are developing combat cloud solutions for their military, including China and Russia. For Europe, there is an opportunity to collaborate more closely to develop its own combat cloud and thus overcome today's problems with the interoperability of command and control systems and share the high investments needed. The coordinated development of a European military cloud can also make an important contribution to digital sovereignty in Europe through spillover effects from the military into the civil sector.

Interoperability between the European armed forces is an urgent problem that will become even more serious with increasing digitalization – especially with regard to the large number of weapon systems and C3 solutions used in Europe today. A European combat cloud based on joint standards and protocols can therefore be a driver for interoperability and sustainably drive cooperation between the European armed forces.