The US Senate Committee on Armed Services has recommended that the Department of Defence (DOD) explore blockchain technology to potentially revolutionise national security.
This directive signifies a notable change in the government’s strategy towards new technology, which now focuses on investigating innovative solutions for supply chain management and other essential defence applications.
The committee’s recommendation, detailed in the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) report released on July 9, 2024, explicitly instructs Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to investigate and test potential blockchain applications within the DOD. This initiative reflects a growing recognition of blockchain’s potential to enhance the integrity and security of defence operations.
“Blockchain technology has the potential to enhance the cryptographic integrity of the defence supply chain, improve data integrity, and reduce the risk of the manipulation or corruption of certain types of data by near-peer competitors,” the committee noted in its report. This statement underscores the strategic importance of blockchain in safeguarding national interests against potential threats from rival nations.
The Senate committee’s vision extends beyond mere experimentation. They call for a comprehensive exploration of how blockchain can be leveraged “to achieve national security goals and to create secure,…
