The 4th Singapore Defence and Technology Summit (Tech Summit), hosted by Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), featured discussions on the most serious issues confronting the globe today, as well as the latest technological trends and their implications for defence. There were many takeaways from the discussions, but two main themes jumped out.
The first is that sustaining technological dominance necessitates digitalisation and the use of dual-use technology in the military, thus it is not a question of “if” but rather “how.” With this perspective, it becomes clear that governments and armies need to modify their methods and procedures to be flexible enough to absorb the quickly developing commercial and open-source technologies.
The human aspect, which includes both the inventors, engineers, and scientists who develop such capabilities as well as the well-trained warriors and highly-skilled operators who must be able to creatively use them, is closely related to this.
Digitalisation can increase the efficacy and efficiency of military operations while also improving the safety of soldiers and civilians engaged. Increased communication enhanced situational awareness, efficient logistics, better intelligence gathering, lower costs, and improved training is just a few of the benefits of digitalisation in the defence industry.
Communication has become faster, easier, and more secure because of digitalisation. This can be crucial in the defence industry for sharing critical information and coordinating military actions. Consequently, digitalisation can provide soldiers and commanders with real-time battlefield information, improving situational awareness and allowing them to make more informed decisions.
Another digitalisation can aid in supply chain management and logistics optimisation, enabling the more effective deployment of personnel and equipment. Intelligence gathering is now more sophisticated and effective because of digitalisation. Data may be analysed and processed more rapidly and correctly with the aid of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), which can result in better decision-making.
Digitalisation can help cut costs in several ways, including streamlining the supply chain, decreasing paperwork, and automating specific procedures. It can also be utilised to give soldiers more effective and realistic training, so they are better prepared for real-world situations.
Technology advancements like AI, ML, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are anticipated to completely alter how the military conducts business. Autonomous systems, cybersecurity, big data analytics, augmented reality, and cloud computing are a few probable future advancements.
Defence digitalisation has a bright future ahead of it, with the ability to increase military operations’ efficacy and safety. Like with all technical development, there will be new difficulties and dangers that must be managed. Defence companies will need to stay on top of developments and be ready for the changes that digitalisation will bring.
Further, the co-dependence of people and technology in the current struggle was a topic that was brought up during the Tech Summit speakers, including Volodymyr Havrylov, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister and director of national armaments, who delivered a live virtual presentation to the participants from Kyiv.
In addition to highlighting the significance of creating a new framework for collaborations, speakers also emphasised the growing acceptance of commercial technologies for defence. This is consistent with DSTA’s own strategy of building a solid network of business and military partners, including startups and small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the academic community.
Participants agreed that technology will shape defence, so it’s special to be able to hang out with people who are actively working to advance technology in the field of defence. It’s also rare to have them all in one place, conversing openly and comfortably about the opportunities and challenges.
