CLOUDY Podcast | #30 Modern Battlefield: A Look into the World of the Digital Army
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Why is the exchange of critical information so important?
Modern conflicts are significantly more complex than in the past. There are no clear front lines, operations involve many actors, and the battlefield extends across vast areas.
Commanders therefore need an accurate and up-to-date picture of the situation. Information comes from radios, drones, satellites, and sensors. Without rapid data exchange, it is impossible to effectively coordinate military units or humanitarian aid.
In the past, a lack of information has even led to attacks on one’s own or allied forces. Today, data is an equal and often decisive element of warfare.
What does tactical communication infrastructure look like?
Modern tactical communication is built on a multi-layered architecture:
Tactical layer – direct communication in the field over short distances, exchange of commands and position information.
Data networks – connecting units with higher command levels, transmission of plans, maps, and operational data.
Tactical cloud – enables access to information and communication over long distances, even in environments without a stable signal.
The tactical cloud significantly simplifies field operations and increases the speed of decision-making.
Electronic warfare: fighting in the invisible domain
Every electronic device that is switched on, from radios to drones, emits an electromagnetic signal. While invisible to humans, modern sensors can detect these signals over long distances.
Electronic warfare has three main objectives:
monitoring enemy activity,
protecting own forces by minimizing emissions,
jamming and influencing enemy communications.
In an environment saturated with electronics, electronic warfare is one of the key factors determining operational success.
What role does artificial intelligence play?
Artificial intelligence significantly accelerates decision-making processes. Within seconds, it can analyze vast amounts of data - video footage, signals, or sensor data and identify key threats or opportunities.
Today, AI:
evaluates visual and data records,
highlights suspicious locations and movements,
prepares inputs for faster and more accurate decision-making by commanders.
However, decisions remain in human hands - AI serves as a powerful support tool.
Is it even possible to “hide” in an environment full of sensors today?
Camouflage is becoming increasingly difficult. The battlefield is monitored by satellites, drones, cameras, and electronic sensors. Any movement in open terrain can be detected very quickly.
In addition, there are learned behavior patterns that artificial intelligence can recognize: for example, recurring vehicle routes. Combined with precision-guided munitions and loitering drones, every mistake can have immediate consequences.
How have drones changed command strategy?
One of the most significant changes is that command posts can no longer be static and easily identifiable.
The traditional image of a command post was a tent with an antenna above it and several officers gathered in one place. On the modern battlefield, however, such recognizable targets have minimal survivability often only hours or even minutes.
Modern tactics therefore rely on:
mobile command centers in vehicles,
distributed planning teams,
strict camouflage and constant movement.
The goal is to reduce the risk of detection and increase command resilience.
These operations often take place without a stable signal. How do you ensure everything works?
This is where the tactical cloud comes into play, combined with edge computing and satellite communication:
Edge devices can bridge periods without connectivity by operating locally, collecting and processing data.
When the connection is restored, information is synchronized.
Satellite communication serves as a backup path when terrestrial infrastructure fails or is destroyed.
Relying on a single technology is not an option a robust system always combines multiple transmission methods and different types of connectivity.
The tactical cloud also helps in disaster response and humanitarian operations
During floods, fires, or other disasters, civilian infrastructure is often damaged or overloaded. In such cases, the tactical cloud can create a substitute communication environment - simple for users on the outside (connecting via mobile phone or radio), yet technologically capable of maintaining connectivity even under harsh conditions.
Devices in this environment must withstand water, dust, shocks, and signal outages - and this resilience is an integral part of the solutions designed and delivered by Aliter Technologies.
The modern battlefield is a world where the tactical cloud, electronic warfare, artificial intelligence, and human decision-making converge. The goal of these technologies is not to impress, but to protect - one’s own forces, allies, and civilians. And while the future will likely be even more technological, common sense and the effort to avoid conflict should remain decisive.
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