Driven by the need for agility, security, and sovereignty, the defence sector is undergoing a rapid digital transformation. Military organizations are increasingly operating across a hybrid infrastructure, spanning the strategic core, deployed edge, and tactical edge, while maintaining absolute control over their systems.
However, this evolution presents significant challenges, from siloed technologies to cybersecurity threats. Defence organizations must navigate these obstacles by adopting a unified platform approach, leveraging an open framework based on open standards to strengthen autonomy, security, and seamless operations across all environments.
Traditionally, defence operations began in the strategic core, which were large, on-premise data centers disconnected from the internet. These handled everything from mission planning to logistics. The first wave of transformation introduced private cloud solutions, allowing military organizations to scale infrastructure dynamically while maintaining digital sovereignty.
Many defence entities remain cautious about using the public cloud due to security concerns, opting instead for air-gapped private clouds—physically isolated environments within their facilities—so only screened personnel and verified secure networks have access.
The rise of edge computing
Today, the focus has shifted to edge computing, highlighting the need for smarter, real-time, and autonomous decision-making in the field. Defence organizations now operate across two key edge environments, the deployed edge and the tactical edge.
The deployed edge consists of mini data centres, capable of running mission-critical applications, processing intelligence and supporting AI workloads. Meanwhile, the tactical edge encompasses lightweight, ruggedized devices such as drones, autonomous vehicles, and soldier-worn systems that can collect, analyse, and act on data in real time, often completely disconnected from central networks.
Unlike commercial "internet of things" (IoT), military edge devices do not have or rely on constant connectivity. Instead, they synchronize data intermittently via private 5G networks or secure satellite links, providing operational continuity even in contested environments.
Key challenges in defence digital transformation
While hybrid infrastructure offers flexibility, defence organizations face a number of critical hurdles.
One major obstacle is technology silos. Different environments—core, cloud, and edge—often use incompatible technology stacks, forcing organizations to rebuild solutions for each deployment. This fragmentation means soldiers and engineers must learn multiple platforms, from AWS and Azure to specialized tactical operating systems, slowing mission readiness.
Another challenge is the complexity of manual processes. Moving data between core and edge and back again requires custom workflows, increasing deployment times. At the same time, legacy security models struggle to adapt to distributed architectures, leaving gaps that adversaries can exploit.
Perhaps the most pressing concern is the growing threat of supply chain and cyber attacks. Software supply chain attacks, where malicious code is injected into open source libraries, can compromise entire fleets of drones or vehicles. Similarly, man-in-the-middle attacks can alter firmware updates in transit to tactical devices, potentially sabotaging critical missions.
To counter these challenges, Red Hat provides a single platform with greater consistency that spans the entire operational spectrum. In the strategic core, solutions like Red Hat OpenShift and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform enable robust, scalable infrastructure. The deployed edge benefits from compact OpenShift clusters, while the tactical edge leverages lightweight Red Hat Device Edge for ultra-portable operations.
This unified approach delivers significant advantages. By enabling “deploy once, run anywhere” capabilities, it dramatically accelerates time-to-mission. Soldiers and engineers can use the familiar tools across all environments, reducing training overhead. And because the platform is open, defence organizations can integrate third-party solutions without vendor lock-in, maintaining flexibility for future needs.
To help counter evolving cyber threats, Red Hat incorporates advanced security measures. The Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) capability allows organizations to track every component in a deployed system, so only trusted code runs on drones, vehicles or command centres. Cryptographic attestation verifies that firmware and updates are not tampered with during transit, and disconnected automation enables patching with greater security of field devices via USB or ruggedized laptops, with no Internet connection required.
Proven use cases in defence
Several defence organizations have successfully implemented Red Hat solutions to overcome critical operational challenges. One European air force confronted persistent mission disruptions caused by network outages in field operations. By implementing Red Hat OpenShift on portable edge data centres, they enabled local AI processing capabilities that maintained continuous operations regardless of connectivity status, while significantly reducing bandwidth requirements.
In another demonstration of leading capabilities, a major defence contractor showcased the ability to perform in-flight software updates on unmanned aerial systems. Using Red Hat Device Edge, they successfully deployed AI model upgrades to drones during active missions, enhancing real-time target recognition capabilities without requiring mission interruption or system downtime.
While a different national defence organization achieved remarkable efficiency gains by automating their Platform-as-a-Service processes with Ansible Automation Platform and OpenShift. Their infrastructure deployment times were reduced from several weeks to just 3-6 hours, while simultaneously expanding their developer capacity nearly fourfold within a single year—all while maintaining strict security protocols.
Sovereignty, systems security, and speed
Defence organizations cannot afford fragmented, insecure IT infrastructures. Red Hat’s open hybrid platform helps to deliver three critical advantages:
- Complete digital sovereignty by enabling strict control over data and infrastructure.
- Unified operations via a single platform spanning from core to tactical edge.
- Proactive security measures through SBOM, attestation, and zero-trust principles.
The future of defence demands systems that are connected yet autonomous and agile yet stronger. With Red Hat, organizations gain the confidence to deploy, update, and operate anywhere, supporting mission success in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
