Decision Advantage Under Fire: Why military connectivity must become a mission fabric

Land May 27, 2026

By Mark Todd, Innovation and Technology Director, BAE Systems Digital Intelligence

In modern operations, the traditional definition of “connectivity” is no longer enough. For years, success was measured by whether forces could communicate and share data. Today, in a battlespace that is contested, fragmented and constantly shifting, the real challenge is far greater: can forces move from sensing to deciding and acting faster than the adversary — even when networks are under pressure.

This is the new benchmark. And increasingly, current approaches are falling short.

Two fundamental shifts are driving this change. First, an explosion in data from uncrewed and autonomous systems means information is now generated at unprecedented speed — often at the tactical edge. Second, these systems must operate in harsh environments defined as Denied, Degraded, Intermittent or Limited (DDIL), where bandwidth is constrained, nodes disappear, and adversaries actively target communications.

In this environment, advantage does not belong to the force with the most data, but to the one that can reliably combine, trust and act on it first.

When connectivity fails — even when it “works”

One of the most important lessons from recent operations is that connectivity rarely fails because radios stop working. Instead, it breaks down through fragmentation.

Critical data is often spread across platforms, applications, classification levels and coalition partners. Under pressure, operators can spend valuable time searching for information, reconciling discrepancies, or navigating access restrictions. Even when networks are technically available, missions can stall because the right data cannot reach the right people at the right time.

The challenge is even more pronounced in coalition environments, where differing policies, sovereign constraints and operational contexts add friction. The issue is no longer whether a message can be sent, but whether it can be trusted, understood and acted upon instantly.

Overlay this with another persistent challenge — slow adaptation. While threats evolve rapidly, mission networks are often constrained by lengthy integration and accreditation cycles. The result is a widening gap between operational need and technological capability. In a domain where decision advantage is measured in seconds, this lack of agility is becoming a strategic liability.

From links to a mission fabric

Addressing this challenge requires a fundamental rethink. Connectivity can no longer be treated as a collection of links. It must evolve into a mission fabric — a resilient, adaptive, and data-centric foundation designed to sustain decision-making under pressure.

At its core, this means developing a deployable “tactical internet”: a network that can be assembled quickly, extended across domains, and continuously adapted without bespoke engineering.

Such an approach embraces diversity in connectivity — integrating terrestrial, maritime, airborne and space-based pathways, alongside both traditional tactical links and IP networks. It prioritises critical data flows, maintains integrity under disruption, and ensures operational continuity even when parts of the network fail.

Enabling faster, smarter decision-making

This concept directly supports emerging defence initiatives such as the UK Ministry of Defence’s Digital Targeting Web, which seeks to accelerate and unify the targeting cycle across sensors, decision-makers and effectors.

For these concepts to succeed, the underlying network must do more than transport data. It must make information discoverable at the edge, preserve context and policy, and reduce the need for manual coordination. In essence, it must ensure that decision-making continues at pace, even when reach-back connectivity is compromised.

Securing data, not just networks

Security is also evolving. Traditional perimeter-based approaches — where access depends on being inside a trusted network — are increasingly ineffective in coalition and DDIL environments.

A data-centric model offers a more agile alternative. By embedding security controls directly within the data — including metadata, encryption and policy — information can be shared selectively and securely across partners and platforms. Crucially, this reduces reliance on manual processes, enabling faster, more confident decision-making under pressure.

Designing for the edge

Equally important is the need for lightweight, adaptable service architectures that reflect the realities of the tactical edge. Traditional enterprise systems often assume stable connectivity and centralised infrastructure — conditions that rarely exist in operational environments.

Lean, software-defined approaches are better suited to these conditions, allowing systems to continue delivering core functions — from data fusion to alerting — even when disconnected. This not only sustains operational tempo but also enables rapid scaling and integration as missions evolve.

The path forward

Technologies such as software-defined networking are already demonstrating how this future can be realised. By enabling networks to dynamically reconfigure, prioritise and adapt in real time, they help sustain operations even in highly contested environments.

But the real shift is conceptual. The goal is no longer perfect connectivity. It is something far more operationally critical: maintaining trust, coherence and decision advantage despite disruption.

In an era defined by evolving threats and increasing complexity, that is what will separate success from failure. And it is why the future of military connectivity will not be built from links alone, but from a mission fabric designed to operate at the speed of modern conflict.