One Battlefield, One Network

A brigade commander does not wake up thinking about digital transformation. He thinks about whether he can trust the operational picture in front of him. Are his units where they are supposed to be? Who is running low on ammunition? What changed in the last five minutes? In many armies, the answers exist, just not in one place. Some information moves over voice, some sits inside standalone systems, and some never leaves the platform that generated it. The challenge is not the absence of technology, but the gap between having systems and having a coherent, shared understanding of the fight.

For Yoav Poizner, Vice President of Marketing for the C4I & Cyber Division at Elbit Systems, closing that gap is not about selling a single product. “Digitization is not just one product that comes in a box,” he explains. “It’s a process you go through with the customer.” Armed forces today often operate in what he describes as an in-between state: partially digital but not fully connected. A tank may have a digital fire-control system, an artillery unit may calculate and execute missions electronically, but the formation as a whole often remains fragmented.

"Understanding today’s battlefield means recognizing that advantage no longer lies solely in owning isolated capabilities even when talking about state-of-the-art tech, but in orchestrating them as one adaptive system,” he continues. “Connectivity becomes the multiplier force. The network becomes the maneuver space.”
 

A Unified Architecture

True digitization is multi-layered: it brings platforms, sensors, communications and command applications into a unified architecture. When that architecture is in place, a commander sees more than icons on a map. He understands force disposition, fuel and ammunition levels, operational readiness and, increasingly, a fused picture of the adversary. As the digital environment matures, that information becomes more stable and accessible across units and domains.

Unlike civilian networks, military environments are air gapped, mobile, dynamic and often deployed far from fixed infrastructure. An army operating abroad cannot rely on commercial infrastructure connectivity. It must deploy its own backbone: IT systems, strategic communications, tactical radios, microwave links, satellite systems and long-range HF communications.

The real challenge is about creating an orchestrated ecosystem, a rhythm, a current that connects everything into one living network. The modern battlefield is no longer a collection of separate platforms operating side by side, it is a dynamic fabric of manned and unmanned sensors, effectors, platforms, headquarters, and decision-makers, all generating data at scale, all moving at tempo. Fusing these layers into a coherent, robust and resilient operational network of networks is the cutting-edge technology developed in Elbit Systems in the last 20 years.

A fundamental foundation for digitization is creating the adequate infrastructure for tactical maneuvering. Elbit Systems’  E-LynX™  Software Defined Radio solution forms this vital backbone, providing robust, resilient, and secure connectivity that enables networked operations across domains. 

At the core of the layered approach sits what Elbit Systems calls TIGER-X. TIGER-X is not just another framework. It is an architecture designed to stitch together various analog and digital communication networks and systems into a single, coherent operational environment. It enables forces to move from fragmented connectivity to synchronized maneuver, across domains, echelons and generations of technology, so that information reaches the right place at the right time - overcoming the challenges of rapidly changing network conditions and sustaining operational continuity on the move. 

On top of these layers, with this powerful data flow established, Torch-X™ ️ delivers benefits of battle digitization, synchronizing and empowering commanders, sensors, autonomous platforms, and effectors. Torch-X™ unlocks advanced C4ISR capabilities, enabling superior situational awareness, faster decision-making, and seamless collaboration at every echelon. 
Nevertheless, integration is never generic. Each customer arrives with its own legacy systems, protocols and standards. Achieving this integration requires deep operational familiarity and years of accumulated expertise.
 

New Soldiers, New Tools

Large-scale digitization aims to reshape how forces operate. It affects concepts of operations, decision cycles and command culture. The effort is not limited to IT departments; it directly involves operational users.

There is also a generational shift underway. Today’s soldiers grew up communicating through apps and group chats. They expect clarity, speed and collaborative tools. Modern military systems increasingly reflect that reality: secure, closed networks designed to mirror civilian usability while meeting stringent security standards.

Beyond connectivity, digitization generates data. Every movement, transmission and engagement produces structured information. In real time, this improves coordination and helps to reduce risk. Commanders gain visibility that enhances survivability and accelerates operational tempo. Tasks that once required significant time can now be executed far more rapidly because information flows without friction.
 

Making DATA Work for Us

The real shift extends beyond the moment of engagement. Accumulated data becomes an operational asset. It can be analyzed, processed and turned into intelligence. Patterns emerge. Adversary behavior can be studied, allowing future actions to be anticipated.

This is where the Elbit Systems' i360 system comes into play. i360 exemplifies the practical application of digitization within military intelligence operations. It enables intelligence officers and operational teams through advanced query mechanisms and data-processing capabilities, to retrieve reliable and actionable insights from the data gathered in the military network warfare systems integrating multi-source datasets.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are now embedded across this ecosystem. From adaptive radios that sense and respond to their electromagnetic environment to decision-support systems that reduce cognitive load for field commanders, AI helps filter complexity. Instead of overwhelming users with raw inputs, the system highlights what matters. It supports threat prioritization, resource management and faster decision cycles.

This evolution is reflected in the recently announced contract for the fifth generation of Israel’s Digital Army Program. The new iteration incorporates lessons drawn from sustained digital combat operations in recent years. It deepens multi-domain connectivity, enhances multi-sensor fusion and embeds AI-driven decision support at multiple levels. The objective is not simply faster networks, but a more resilient and robust operational environment.