Towards a Data-Driven Military: A Multidisciplinary Perspective assesses the use of data and information on modern conflict from different scientific and methodological disciplines, aiming to generate valuable contributions to the ongoing discourse on data, the military and modern warfare. Part one, ‘Military Systems and Technology’,, approaches the theme empirically by researching how data can enhance the utility of military materiel and subsequently accelerate the decision-making process. Part two, ‘War Studies’, takes a multidisciplinary approach to the evolution of warfare, while the third part, ‘Military Management Studies’, takes a holistic organisational and procedural approach. Based on their scientific protocols and research methods, the three domains put forward different research questions and perspectives, providing the unique character of this book.

Peter B.M.J. Pijpers, PhD is an Army Colonel (GS). He is Associate Professor of Cyber Operations at the Netherlands Defence Academy and researcher at the Amsterdam Centre for International Law (ACIL), University of Amsterdam. The main focus of his research is related to the legal and cognitive dimension of influence operations in cyberspace, below the threshold of the use of force.

Mark Voskuijl is Professor of Weapon- and Aviation Systems at the Faculty of Military Sciences at the Netherlands Defence Academy. His research is focused on the performance and flying qualities of fighter aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Robert Beeres holds a PhD in administrative sciences from Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Currently, he is a Professor of Defence Economics at the Faculty of Military Sciences, Netherlands Defence Academy. His research interests include the economics of arms export controls, defence capabilities, performance management and burden sharing within the EU and NATO.

Towards a data-driven military – an introduction
PART I Data-Driven Organisation
1. Digitalisation, organising and organisational choice Exploring the challenges of digital transformation using five applied sociotechnical lenses
2. Data analytics in human resource management Benefits and challenges
3. Data-driven maintenance of military systems Potential and challenges
4. Federated learning for enabling cooperation between the Royal Netherlands Navy and external parties in developing predictive maintenance
5. Information- and data-driven organisations from promise to practice? Reflecting on maturity dynamics in a defence sustainment organisation
PART II Data-Driven Support to Decision Making
6. The effect of big data and AI on forecasting in defence and military applications
7. Military helicopter flight mission planning using data science and operations research
8. Applying GTSP-algorithms in maritime patrolling missions that require mutual support
9. From data to effective actions Providing actionable information for detect and avoid
10. Battling information overload in military intelligence & security organisations
PART III Data-Driven Operations
11. A conceptual investigation of the trade-off between privacy and algorithmic performance
12. Information manoeuvre and the Netherlands armed forces Legal challenges ahead
13. The use of biometrics in military operations abroad and the right to private life
14. 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War A case of triple D: Diplomacy, Drones and Deception
Epilogue
15. War by numbers A “technocratic hubristic fable”?