Data Superiority: Securing the Digital Backbone of Defence

Data as the cornerstone of operational advantage

Modern warfare is increasingly data-centric: success is defined by how fast you sense, process, decide and act, underpinned by resilient, secure communications networks and an assured data fabric. Consequently, data must be treated as a strategic asset—protected by secure computing and data infrastructure, with assured end-to-end data flows.

The threat: when data becomes the target

State-linked actors now pair cyber with kinetic operations to undermine C2 and decision-making. Supply-chain exposure (including semiconductors) and adversarial AI expand the attack surface—lessons reinforced in recent conflicts.

What works: layered, evidence-based security

Defence organisations are combining proven controls with forward-leaning innovation:

• Quantum-safe cryptography to prepare for a post-quantum world.
• Zero Trust architectures (continuous verification of users, devices and apps).
• Edge security to keep mission-critical processing resilient at the tactical edge.
• AI security-by-design (including AI red-teaming for adversarial robustness).

Thales’ approach

Thales secures data at rest, in transit and in use across civil and defence sectors. At enterprise scale in finance and other critical industries, we secure high volumes of transactions, protect large fleets of endpoints and operate multiple SOCs—experience that translates directly to defence.

In defence, we protect sensitive data end-to-end—on secure tactical networks, in hybrid cloud and across multi-domain operations—while aligning to MOD doctrine and cloud posture:

• Secure multi-cloud to the edge. Designs spanning Secret and below, resilient under DIL conditions, aligned to cloud-first guidance (e.g., MoDCloud) and the Cloud Strategic Roadmap.
• Policy-based access control. Authenticate every person and entity based on digital identity; authorise by policy so users and services see only what they are entitled to and need.
• Anomaly detection. Monitor for abnormal behaviour and automatically contain or block suspicious activity.
• Protect data at rest, in transit and in use. Ensure data is useless to anyone not entitled to access it, through strong encryption and robust key management.
• Fast, low-friction deployment. COTS solutions configured for high-assurance protection on-prem or in cloud; sovereign crypto where the highest link assurance is mandated.
• Assured AI. Through cortAIx, we focus on explainability, safety and mission-fitness—including testing against adversarial techniques and contested EM/cyber conditions.

Lessons from the digital battlespace

Trusted, real-time data flows backed by resilient connectivity are decisive. MOD’s digital doctrine calls for a system-of-systems model in which data integration and protection are as critical as platforms.

Working with partners and suppliers
Protecting national data is a collective effort. We work with government, primes and SMEs to raise resilience via the existing DCPP/SAQ approach and the new Defence Cyber Certification (DCC) scheme developed with IASME in 2025.

Collaboration across programmes

From maritime mine countermeasures to collaborative air, we enable interoperable, secure data-sharing that connects platforms, allies and industry—supporting UK, European and NATO priorities.

Securing the future digital battlespace

Emerging tech—post-quantum cryptography, AI assurance/red-teaming and resilient tactical networks—will define the next wave of challenges. Our vision is simple: treat data as a strategic asset and secure it across the full operational lifecycle.