AIC Technical Briefing - 31 Oct 2025

1. Cyber Hardening of Defence Platforms

• Lockheed Martin introduced new DevSecOps pipelines for classified systems based on Zero-Trust Architecture (ZTA) from the U.S. DoD (DoD ZTA Reference Architecture v2).

• AIC’s AeroGuard mirrors these ZTA principles for aerial platforms, enforcing end-to-end encryption and verified command logic.

• Related reading: NCSC Zero-Trust Guidance.

2. Space Security and ISR Convergence

• The UK Space Command’s Skynet 6 modernisation program is deepening satellite-UAS coordination.

• Thales Alenia Space is developing anti-jam payloads for secure satcom uplinks.

• Integrating AeroGuard-secured drones with secure satcom enables resilient edge-to-orbit ISR chains.

3. AI, Ethics, and Command Accountability

• NATO’s AI Strategy and Policy Guidance sets out responsible use principles: traceability, explainability, and bias mitigation.

• AIC’s governance approach aligns: all AeroGuard missions are policy-signed and logged for post-mission audit, ensuring lawful accountability in autonomous decision loops.

4. Industrial Digitalisation and Secure Manufacturing

• BAE and Dassault Systèmes launched secure digital twins for the Tempest program.

• Cyber-physical production lines in defence now rely on immutable telemetry from embedded controllers — a concept mirrored in AeroGuard’s encrypted flight logs.

• The UK’s Industrial Cyber Security Centre of Excellence (ICSC) published new best-practice documents (link).

5. Energy Security and Defence Infrastructure

Defence estates are integrating micro-grids and autonomous maintenance systems:

• Rolls-Royce SMR announced digital twin security frameworks.

• EDF Energy Defence is trialling PQC-enabled IoT for smart base monitoring.

• Lessons from AeroGuard’s offline mode apply directly to base-level resilience.

6. Global Perspective

• The Five Eyes intelligence alliance released a joint advisory on emerging AI threats (CISA AI Security Guidance).

• The EU Defence Fund 2025 earmarked €250 million for secure autonomy and space situational awareness.

• Australia’s REDSPICE program is expanding quantum-safe network trials.

7. Emerging Markets and Commercialisation

• Private space firms such as ICEYE and Planet are entering sovereign ISR partnerships with defence clients.

• Edge-AI ASICs from companies like Graphcore and Mythic enable real-time analytics on drones and satellites.

• Integration potential: pairing PQC-secured AeroGuard telemetry with on-board edge inference for classified missions.

8. AIC View

Defence technology is converging on one premise: trustworthy autonomy. Systems must operate with verifiable integrity, cryptographic assurance, and clear audit. From drone control (AeroGuard) to satellite uplinks and industrial IoT, AIC’s framework delivers the same principle—security, sovereignty, and situational awareness.