This chapter analyses Europe’s ‘software gap’ that it must address to enable modern military operations: its lack of sovereign hyperscale cloud-computing capacity and consequent dependency on the major US commercial vendors for these services.
Key Takeaways
RELIANCE ON US FIRMS FOR HYPERSCALE CLOUD CAPABILITY
Significant gaps remain in Europe’s defence-related software ecosystem. The region lacks sovereign hyperscale cloud-computing capacity and its armed forces remain dependent on the major US commercial vendors for these services. As Europe introduces cloud capabilities, these have to be compatible with existing software capabilities, likely militating against a fundamental shift away from US commercial hyperscale providers.
FEWER EUROPEAN GAPS IN EDGE CLOUD COMPUTING
In contrast to the hyperscale cloud, Europe has more providers able to deliver edge cloud-computing capability, which is being developed for a range of programmes such as the Future Combat Air System and the Main Ground Combat System.
LACK OF STANDARDS IMPEDES INTER-OPERABILITY
A lack of established frameworks and standards for cloud computing as well as disparate national efforts to develop capabilities, are leading to inter-operability problems between cloud infrastructure at all levels of the battlespace.
EUROPEAN C2: WELL ESTABLISHED
In contrast, Europe’s C2 software sector is well established and leads in many areas, though gaps remain in important facets of C2 such as high-capability datalinks. Providers are working to deliver capabilities required for multi-domain operations. Initiatives such as NATO’s Federated Mission Networking are enabling inter-operability across NATO, but challenges persist at lower levels of command.
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