Victanis has been active in delivering growth strategy in the defence and security sector for over two decades

Many and Varied – Threats and Opportunity in 21st. Century Defence and Security

Threat Environment – The 21st. century presents very different security challenges than the 20th. century.  The challenge to western dominance in technology and military capability is significantly increased as those countries who would challenge the current security paradigm are able to harness larger relative resources within their economies as well as new digital technologies to close the capability gap.  In addition, the number of potential threats has proliferated in recent years ensuring that governments have to make hard choices in terms of priorities and defence expenditure. 

Recovery from under investment – For many western countries, the end of the Cold War allowed them to drastically reduce their defence expenditure with resources reallocated in ever-larger proportions to health and social spending.  With the radical change in the threat environment, defence spending has become a critical issue once more.  While there has been a noticeable recovery in resources allocated to defence, this shift still has some way to run. 

Changing Concept and Procurement Model – As a result of new technologies and new threats, operating concepts and traditional structures of force deployment are having to be revised.  In addition, the efficiency of defence procurement remains a challenge for most countries and approaches to prioritisation, procurement and large and complex project management continue to undergo evolution. 

Challenge of New vrs Old Technology – Related to both procurement and a changed threat environment, the defence industry is being forced to come to terms with the impact of new digital technologies to threaten existing development approaches.  Autonomous technologies, AI, mass precision strike and other technology-driven changes mean defence companies increasingly need to look outside their organisations for critical technologies as well as be able to respond to the impact of cheap digital technology that significantly increase the capabilities of even non-state hostile actors.