Scalable edge compute for mobile and operational resiliency.
Decision advantage in tactical operations requires the most up-to-date intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data. However, the current infrastructure in the modern networked battlefield can lead to a latency making the difference between actionable and informational intelligence.
Reducing C2 lag and accelerating time to action, means eliminating latency out of the observe, orient, decide, and act (OODA) path. The result is the need for scalable, rugged computing to solve complex operational problems at the edge.
Until now, the computing required to model and disseminate operational data, e.g. layered maps, full-motion video, and other compute-intensive applications such as artificial intelligence (AI), has been limited to 19″ rack servers in the tactical operation center (TOC). Supporting an increasingly dynamic and mobile networked battlefield pushes the need for portable computing that can move with the point of action at the tactical edge.
The key advantages of deploying scalable rugged compute at the tactical edge, include:
- Operational Resilience in Contested Environments
With the increasing sophistication of threats to connectivity, including jamming, spoofing, and other forms of electronic warfare, scalable edge compute enhances resilience by enabling distributed operations that function independently of a central node. If a network connection is severed, edge devices can continue to operate locally, ensuring tactical units remain operational.
- Optimized Bandwidth Utilization
Tactical networks often operate under constrained bandwidth conditions. Scalable edge computing reduces the volume of data traversing these limited bandwidth channels by performing local preprocessing, filtering, and analysis. Only essential data — such as actionable intelligence or aggregated results — is transmitted back to command centers.
- Scalability to Match Mission Demands
Tactical operations are dynamic, with shifting objectives and unpredictable resource demands. Scalable edge compute allows for adjustments to computational capacity, ensuring that resources align with mission priorities. This flexibility enables seamless scaling up for intensive operations, such as large-scale data fusion, or scaling down for energy conservation in low-demand scenarios.
- Empowerment of Advanced Technologies
AI, machine learning (ML), and augmented reality (AR) technologies are integral to tactical operations. Scalable edge computing provides the localized computational power needed to support these technologies in real time. For instance, AI-enabled systems can analyze battlefield data, predict adversary movements, and recommend actions without relying on centralized C2 directives.
- Enhanced Situational Awareness
Situational awareness depends on the timely synthesis and dissemination of information from multiple sources. By locally processing and correlating data from sensors, drones, and other battlefield assets, edge systems provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive picture of the tactical environment.
- Reduced Energy Consumption and Improved Mobility
In tactical settings, power and mobility are critical constraints. Tactical edge systems must be energy-efficient and support diverse power sources, allowing them to be deployed across diverse terrains and integrated into various platforms, from back-packs to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
- Strengthened Cybersecurity
Distributing computing at the edge reduces the risk of a centralized point of failure, as there is no prime target on which to focus a sustained cyberattack. In addition, edge systems incorporate real-time mitigation capabilities against modern cyber threats.
As defense and tactical operations evolve, the deployment of scalable rugged compute at the edge is essential for agile and resilient C2ISR convergence that is mobile and goes with the point of action — the tactical edge.