The sixth panel explored what nations must do today to enable the digital transformation of military organisations and governments to keep pace with the speed of innovation in industry. It addressed practical challenges such as enabling secure data sharing across nations, actors and platforms; accelerating the integration of AI in decision-making and harnessing industry leadership for cross-Atlantic collaboration and innovation. Using Ukraine’s pioneering experience in government and military digital transformation as a reference point, panellists discussed lessons for NATO Allies and identified actionable solutions for achieving decision advantage through digital transformation.
Panellists: Mr. Nathan Pearce, Mr. Kaspar Gubi Petersen, Mrs. Kateryna Bondar, and Mr. Sebastiaan van ‘t Erve
Key Takeaways:
- Digital transformation is a survival requirement driven by modern warfare’s pace.
Contemporary conflict evolves through rapid, iterative innovation cycles, making fast digital adaptation in C2 essential. Systems need to be regularly maintained and updated, and nations that cannot adapt at this tempo risk losing operational advantage. - Momentum is hindered by long-term visions, rigid systems, and slow procurement.
Overemphasis on future architectures, complex approval processes, and legacy mindsets prevents the adoption of effective tools already available today. Simplified, off-the-shelf solutions and mission-risk–based sharing approaches are underused despite being viable now. - Transformation depends on leadership, culture, and trust, not only technology.
Open modular systems, real-time experimentation, and data-enabled tools can only succeed when supported by decisive leadership, pragmatic organisational cultures, and trusted relationships across defence, government, industry, and civil sectors. Classification rules, legal frameworks, and procurement models must evolve to match the urgency. - National leadership drives implementation, with coalitions advancing faster than the whole.
Differences in sovereignty, priorities, and digital maturity mean transformation cannot progress uniformly across the Alliance. Real progress is occurring where nations form coalitions of the willing, undertake joint exercises, and build operational networks that demonstrate what is possible when decisions are made quickly. - Digital resilience is a whole-society challenge requiring coordinated orchestration.
NATO’s most effective role is to set standards, facilitate interoperability, and create conditions for collaboration, while nations implement capabilities and invest in resilience across both military and civilian infrastructures. Achieving decision advantage demands immediate action, simplified processes, and pragmatic cooperation rather than waiting for crisis conditions to force change.
Summary of the panel discussion:
Modern conflict now demands rapid digital adaptation, especially in C2, where software, autonomous systems, and data-driven decisions must evolve almost daily. Long procurement cycles, rigid architectures, and traditional structures cannot keep pace. Instead, defence organizations need an innovation ecosystem that continuously connects frontline experience, industry, developers, and headquarters so that lessons quickly turn into updated capabilities and operational advantage.
Open modular architectures, real-time experimentation, and a culture that allows commanders to fully exploit new technologies are a must. There is a need for faster acquisition processes, clearer rules for using and sharing data, and digital infrastructure that can absorb emerging tools. Across the discussion, there was a strong frustration about the gap between ambitious strategies and slow practical change, as well as about fragmented standards, legal constraints, and weak trust between nations, institutions, and industry.
Participants stressed that this is not just a military issue but a societal resilience problem, given growing attacks on civil infrastructure. Real progress hinges on leadership willing to make bold, timely decisions; simplify and accelerate cooperation; and build coalitions of actors who can act pragmatically and share responsibility, rather than waiting for a future crisis to force change.
