Ten years after NATO recognized cyberspace as a domain of military operations, the Alliance faces a rapidly evolving threat landscape shaped by geopolitical competition, persistent malicious cyber activity, and transformative advances in artificial intelligence (AI). Looking ahead to 2036, this perspective explores a future in which cyber capabilities provide real-time situational awareness, support multi-domain operations (MDO), and enable collective defense at machine speed. While this vision is ambitious, it is not unattainable. Achieving it will require more than technological innovation and increased investment. The author contends that the cyber domain must mature rapidly to meet the demands of modern deterrence and defense, requiring a fundamental shift in mindset, governance, and operational practice. He proposes four calls to action to accelerate this transformation. The Alliance and its partners must adopt new technologies more rapidly, rethink risk and procurement processes, strengthen cooperation among governments, military organizations, industry, and critical infrastructure operators, and reinforce cyber hygiene and resilience measures. Finally, the author argues that effective cyber defense must be complemented by broader deterrence strategies capable of imposing costs on adversaries and addressing threats at their source.
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doi.org/10.55682/cdr/tfn4-t3k7
The Cyber Defense Review
Volume 11, Issue 2