Military-digital complex

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The military-digital complex (MDC) is the militarization of

"Offensive and defensive cyber (or digital) warfare, including the fields of computer network attack, computer network exploitation and computer network defense; as well as traditional electronic warfare (e.g., jamming) intended to deny an adversary use of their electronically dependent equipment through "non-kinetic" means—that is, by fighting with electrons rather than explosives."[1]

As cyber attacks become an increasingly common threat to the security of civilians and highly classified governmental information, a need to combat the threat by means of computer network operations and computer network defense have arisen. It is important to note however that protection is only one component of the Military-digital complex and that the use of information warfare within the complex can be used to achieve military operations and an upper-hand in economic exploits.

The Military-digital complex contains many components which align it succinctly to its industrial counterpart, for example the use of defense contractors. Although hired Contractors may not be explicitly named as such they still expose the complex to complications such as the principal–agent problem and consequently moral hazard. The MDC is seen as a progression as nations move globally towards cyberwarfare, indeed the cyber war is increasingly being acknowledged as the "fifth domain of warfare".^[2] The MDC is a necessity for governmental bodies in order to maintain high standards within their cyber army, for example the USA boasts over "143 private companies involved in top secret cyber operations programs",^[3] however James Gosler a government specialist in cyber security indicates that the USA have a severe shortage of government cybersecurity specialists.^[4]

History

Technology has been a part of war since the dawn of warfare. Neolithic tools such as daggers were used as weaponry and clan rivalry long before recorded history. The

At the dawn on the 21st Century, the world has seen an emergence of digital equipment in the use of warfare, spanning from satellite surveillance systems all the way to dedicated agencies such as United States Cyber Command fully equipped with thousands of professionals manning computers on a 24/365 basis in order to prevent a cyber attack.

The use of computers has long been an essential tool in warfare,^[