Defense forces need digital sovereignty to stay operational as warfare expands across cyber, AI and hybrid domains

Hybrid conflict — where conventional military force is combined with cyberoperations, information warfare, economic pressure and digital disruption — has made one thing clear: Sovereignty in defence is an increasingly complex concern.

For European member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the challenge is both adopting advanced technologies and keeping these capabilities controllable, explainable and resilient under pressure.

In this context, sovereignty refers to the ability to decide, operate and adapt independently — even under degraded conditions or disrupted dependencies.

In this interview, NTT DATA’s Pieter Minack, Industry CTO: Federal and Defense, and René Indefrey, Head of Industry Consulting Defense and Industry, discuss the practical implications, with a focus on lessons learned from recent conflicts. They also touch on how NTT DATA works with defense manufacturing organizations to design software-defined capabilities that balance national control with interoperability across defense alliances.

Defining the challenge

Why is sovereignty such a central issue in modern, multidomain defence operations?

Sovereignty is the foundation of operational freedom. If you don’t control your systems, you don’t control your decisions.

As military operations become increasingly digital, dependencies multiply — on software, data platforms, cloud services and supply chains. Sovereignty reduces these dependencies. It ensures that armed forces can operate, adapt and sustain capabilities without relying on external actors, especially in crisis or conflict.

For NATO in Europe, this is about maintaining national command authority while remaining interoperable with allies. These two goals are not contradictory, but they must be designed together from the start.

Sovereignty sounds straightforward. Why is it so difficult in practice?

Over the past decade, defense organizations have invested heavily in digital technologies to increase speed, precision and situational awareness. Data now moves continuously across networks, platforms and domains, which creates a new operational reality: Cyberspace functions as a fourth domain alongside land, sea and air.

If you don’t fully understand and control your IT, you risk losing operational relevance. Cybercommunication and cybersecurity are no longer supporting functions — they are mission-enabling capabilities.

This complexity is why sovereignty can’t be bolted on later. It has to be embedded into architectures, governance models and operating concepts from day one.

What has the war in Ukraine revealed about digital and hybrid warfare?

It has shown how decisively warfare has changed. Traditional capabilities — artillery, armored vehicles, air defense — still matter, but they now operate in a digitally enabled environment. Autonomous and GPS-guided systems allow for precision at a level unimaginable 20 years ago. At the same time, electronic warfare, cyberoperations and information manipulation shape outcomes well beyond the front line.

For NATO nations, the lesson is clear: Digital capabilities are not optional add-ons but integral to deterrence and defense. Delayed investment — for example, in armed or swarm-capable drones — reflects how quickly threat perceptions can lag behind reality.

How does cyber-defence extend beyond military systems?

Cyberdefense is inseparable from societal resilience. Hybrid attacks increasingly target critical infrastructure — energy grids, heating systems, transportation and communications — alongside military assets. Disinformation campaigns aim to erode trust and cohesion from within.

Cyberspace must therefore be treated as a core pillar of defense. Protecting it is essential to maintaining national functionality and public confidence. While many cyberincidents remain classified, their cumulative impact is strategic, not tactical.

How does IT and operational technology (OT) integration affect sovereignty and agility — especially in Europe’s defence industry?

Across industry, OT is becoming increasingly software-defined. The same principle applies to defense. Cyberphysical systems — deeply integrated systems that merge computing, networking and physical processes — now rely on software layers that integrate sensors, actuators and control systems across weapons and surveillance platforms.

The question is no longer about focusing on either IT or OT, but about how they work together. Deeper integration improves adaptability and availability but requires careful design. Sovereignty doesn’t mean isolation. It means conscious hybridization, with clear boundaries where deeper OT layers remain tightly controlled.

Reducing dependency is the ultimate goal. Software-centric, cyberphysical thinking improves modernization and long-term readiness, but it also makes cybersecurity even more critical because of the ultimately impact of cybereffects on physical systems.

Why is AI so critical — and so sensitive — in software-defined defence?

Digitalization has created an overwhelming volume of information that no commander or staff can process alone. AI-supported command and control systems are essential for analyzing data, generating situational awareness and accelerating decision-making.

AI enables faster reactions and better-quality decisions, especially in time-critical scenarios. But sovereignty is non-negotiable. AI systems cannot be black boxes. They must be transparent, explainable and governed by clear rules.

Human decision-makers remain accountable. AI supports rather than replaces judgment. Clear governance and traceability are essential, particularly in combat situations and within alliance rules of engagement.

What does resilience mean at the tactical level?

Resilience means staying operational under adverse conditions. On the tactical level, data is the fuel for AI. In peacetime, sovereign cloud environments may be sufficient. In crisis or conflict, forces must remain operational even under attack.

Data resilience ensures that orders, situational awareness and communications remain available, even when systems are disrupted or degraded. Secure, federated data architectures are essential to maintain command, control and survivability.

Resilient networking is often underestimated. Naval units, for example, must switch between satellite, mobile, local area network and other communication methods depending on geography and other conditions. Maintaining connectivity in all scenarios is critical.

This is where NTT DATA contributes deep experience as a global communications provider, designing secure, resilient network infrastructures for demanding environments.

How should the industry think about secure communications?

There is no single “most secure” medium — only layered security. Every communication medium carries risk; radio signals, for example, can be intercepted or jammed. It’s why layered security matters — using multiple transmission paths that are encrypted end to end at all levels.

Equally important is key sovereignty. Control over encryption systems and keys must remain with the operator. Providers must also make alternative communication paths available should one medium fail.

Laser communication, for example, offers highly directional, hard-to-intercept links — particularly via satellites or line-of-sight scenarios. It complements more traditional options such as fiber, mobile and satellite communications.

How can the defence industry accelerate readiness without increasing dependency?

By thinking end to end. Speed matters — across requirements, development, production and operations. End-to-end value streams, model-based development and digital twins accelerate readiness while improving resilience.

Digital twins and digital shadows also support cybersecurity and lifecycle management. Combined with AI-driven quality assurance and predictive maintenance, they improve availability and reduce downtime.

These capabilities help defense organizations stay operational, even in contested environments, and extend industrial support closer to the point of use.

Innovation as a strategic investment

NTT DATA is part of NTT Group, which invests over $3 billion each year in research and development. Through global innovation centers and co-creation with clients, we help develop technologies that address real-world defense and security needs.

Key focus areas include photonic networking and computing, private and future-generation mobile communications, and advanced cloud architectures that can dynamically relocate data and workloads to avoid conflict zones.

These capabilities are particularly relevant for NATO and European nations seeking greater digital sovereignty while remaining interoperable.

Key takeaways

• Sovereignty by design: Embed sovereignty and cybersecurity from the start.
• Resilience over perfection: Systems must function together under stress.
• Integrated data spaces: Enable multidomain command and control.
• Proven before new: Adapt commercial technologies where appropriate.
• Dual-use thinking: Balance speed and availability with mission-specific systems.

Sovereignty, resilience and interoperability are not trade-offs. Designed correctly, they reinforce each other and give defense organizations the agility and control they need when it matters most.