Hitting the accelerate button: The impact of Covid-19 on digital transformation within defense

The global defense industry, like many sectors across the world, is experiencing unpredictable results in response to Covid-19. Military organizations are shedding their rigid structures and investing in new technology to allow them to continue with their domestic and foreign operations in response to the evolving crisis.

In fact, recent IFS research has demonstrated that the defense industry is not alone in this decision, with over 50% of respondents across multiple industries reporting that they are looking to increase spending on digital transformation during the pandemic. For many military organizations, the change in tactics is paying off—with remarkable digital transformations, previously been scheduled years down the line, being achieved within weeks. For instance, the British Armed Forces is currently trialing the use of simulation – including virtual reality and augmented reality – to conduct targeted and responsive training for personnel and the U.S. Navy is developing Remote Access Servers and Virtual Private Networks to support the increase in the volume of employees working remotely.

There is no doubt the current business and economic effects of the pandemic are acting as a catalyst for technology change, particularly in four key areas.