Cyber security as a field of military education and study

Information and communication technologies are acknowledged as enablers and the core arsenal of military capabilities, functions, and operations. 1 An increasing number of nations pursue improved fluency and agility of armed forces personnel in information and communication technology, its contemporary uses, and relevant defense and security implications. Underdeveloped terminology and concepts, combined with recognized functional needs and national ambitions to control the relatively new battlespace and domain, create ambiguity and even anxiety among the current generation of planners and leaders. Particularly challenging is the balance between technical in-depth knowledge requirements and strategic understanding of the cyber domain desirable for joint planners, field commanders, and senior decisionmakers.
Several conceptual and practical questions must be resolved by military education institutions through cyber security and defense as a field of study and education. Based on empirical observations on joint and senior-level education, this article addresses the problems of conceptual confusion and contextual diversity in military cyber education. 2 It offers views on curriculum development and tentative ways to address the problems and develop both content and methods of education with emphasis on officer career courses at military academies and defense and war colleges. Dr. Eneken Tikk-Ringas is a Senior Fellow for Cyber Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies–Middle East. Dr. Mika Kerttunen is the Director of the Department of Leadership at the Baltic Defence College. Christopher Spirito is the …