NATO’s Digital Modernisation: The Case of Cloud Computing

12.5.2025

The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies

The digital battlefield is already here. From Ukraine to the Middle East, modern warfare is increasingly multi-domain, where legacy weapon systems are enhanced by cutting-edge digital technologies—especially those powered by artificial intelligence. But AI can only function effectively with robust digital infrastructure. Cloud computing is emerging as one of the key enablers in this transformation. Cloud services support the data-heavy demands of AI by providing scalable storage and processing power. In Ukraine, for example, cloud technology has safeguarded essential government and military data amid cyber-attacks and infrastructure destruction. For NATO and its allies, the implications are clear: cloud computing is no longer a luxury but a critical component of 21st-century defence. This guest paper by Antonio Calcara examines NATO’s efforts to adopt cloud computing as part of its broader digital modernisation agenda. As NATO moves from planning to implementation of its cloud strategy, the paper identifies six key challenges—three military and three industrial—that must be addressed to bridge the gap between ambition and capability.

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