Smart military bases – a future trend for smarter states

Abstract

One main characteristic of the Forth Industrial Revolution is represented by an unprecedental revolution in `smart` devices and their interconnectivity to networks in order to improve our lives. Taking the model of smart cities, which have been adopting advanced technologies for years, the military decision-makers started to reconsider the role and functions of military bases, especialy the forward operating ones (FOB) and those necessary to deploy. Therefore, this paper will analyse how these smart military bases should look like in the medium and long terms to face all current and future risks and threats a headquarters or capability might encounter in the modern operating environment. These aspects include the critical insfrastructure and required joint functions linked in a network and connected to a smart city, when possible. In order to do so, the approach is based on a multidimensional analysis of what have been developed so far in NATO and some Western military, their best practices and research programmes and where thei stend for now. The paper’s implication is for Romanian defence authorities and reserachers, because it highlights the necessary steps and measures to establish such type of military bases. As a result, this paper will present to the military decision-makers some clear ideas of the necessity to have such critical military infrastructure inside the Romanian Armed Forces until 2040, as well as the ways forward to develop and experimentate them. This endeavor will ensure originality of the paper and its unicity in the military domain.