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Collaboration as a defense priority
In modern defense operations, collaboration is not optional – it is mission-critical. Whether coordinating multinational exercises, securing communications for tactical deployments, or ensuring interoperability between forces and partners, secure video collaboration is essential for Command and Control (C2).
As General Jim Hockenhull, Commander of UK Strategic Command, states:
"The only way to defend our nation is through partnerships. Partnerships with allies, partnerships with industry. We’ve got to make sure we keep our people truly informed on what the reality of the situation is."
With the growing need for secure, data-centric, and interoperable communication systems, defense organizations must move beyond traditional, siloed technologies to flexible, resilient, and highly secure video solutions that can operate across different security domains, environments, and classifications.
The Global Defense Secured Communication Market is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 9% from 2024 to 2030. This growth is driven by increasing cyber threats and the need for secure communication in defense operations. Defense Secured Communication Market Share, Growth & Size | Forecast 2030
Key trends in defense video collaboration
The landscape of defense video collaboration is evolving rapidly. Three major trends are shaping how military and aerospace agencies approach secure communication:
Growing need for greater control and certainty in data management
For defense organizations, certainty about data location and security is a top priority. Customers, including international defense alliances and secure government agencies, require absolute control over their video communication infrastructure. While many have traditionally relied on on-premises deployments, cloud-based solutions are increasingly becoming a viable and strategic option.
Future conflicts will require leveraging cloud environments. Defense CIOs recognize this shift and seek flexible solutions that allow them to transition at their own pace—from on-premises and air-gapped systems to private and classified hyperscale cloud deployments or a hybrid version. Pexip is partnering with several large-scale cloud companies who are responding to this demand with various high security solutions, from the hyperscale to the cloud-at-customer-scale.
Video is becoming an operational capability
Video is evolving from a meeting tool into a mission-critical operational capability. Traditionally used for scheduled video teleconferencing (VTC), video now plays a pivotal role in situational awareness and Command and Control (C2) systems.
This shift demands a deeper understanding of defense missions and operational needs. Defense organizations require highly secure, integrated video applications that enhance decision-making, improve real-time intelligence sharing, and enable effective coordination across units and allies.
3 key trends defining video collaboration in defense.
The move towards data-centric security
The global defense community is transitioning from network-centric to data-centric security (DCS) models. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is adopting a zero trust architecture, while Five Eyes nations (US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand) and NATO are advancing similar initiatives.
Zero trust security ensures that no user or system is inherently trusted. Data-centric security builds on this by labelling the digital asset itself and controlling access based on attributes, conditions, and granular policy controls. This model allows defense agencies to establish agile security policies, meaning information sharing is far more dynamic than in a network-centric model. This is vital to accelerate collaboration with international partners, prevent internal/accidental data leaks, and mitigate the risk of threat actors accessing data.
How Pexip is solving key challenges across four defense domains
To meet the unique demands of defense organizations, Pexip Secure Meetings provides commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), configurable solutions across four critical operational domains:
Enterprise: Secure Meetings for defense organizations
Pexip enables secure, enterprise-wide video collaboration for defense organizations, supporting:
- Unified communications at classified levels, ensuring compliance with defense security requirements.
- Secure interoperability across platforms, including Microsoft Teams, legacy video conferencing systems, and mission-critical applications.
- A seamless migration path from Skype for Business, reducing potential security risks associated with outdated infrastructure.
Operational: Mission partners & coalition collaboration
For military coalitions and joint operations, Pexip provides secure video interoperability across allied forces:
- Data-centric interoperability to enable secure communication between the leading strategic alliances and mission partners.
- Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), ensuring that only authorized personnel can join classified discussions.
- Integration with defense-standard frameworks such as NATO Federated Mission Networking (FMN) and mission-critical applications.
Deployed & tactical: Secure video at the battlefield edge
For defense operations in austere, disconnected, or contested environments, Pexip supports:
- On-premises and small form-factor deployments for tactical units, with low-bandwidth and disconnected operation capabilities.
- Embedded video APIs for situational awareness applications, ensuring seamless integration with Command and Control systems.
- AI-powered real-time video intelligence, including automated transcription, translation, and battle-relevant video analysis.
Read more about how video has become a trusted asset on the battlefield
Industrial partners: Secure collaborative environments
Pexip enables secure, ITAR-compliant collaboration between defense organizations and industry partners involved in R&D, program delivery, and advanced engineering:
- Cloud-hosted or on-premises solutions that meet export control regulations.
- Granular control over meeting access, ensuring compliance with project and classification requirements.
- Advanced integration with aerospace and defense engineering workflows, reducing compliance risks and administrative overhead.
Why Pexip is uniquely suited to support defense communication
Pexip Secure Meetings is a proven, mission-ready solution for defense organizations seeking secure, scalable, and interoperable video collaboration.
Self-hosted, secure by design
Unlike cloud-only solutions, Pexip provides full control over deployment, including:
- On-premises, air-gapped, or hybrid cloud hosting.
- Zero trust-aligned security architecture, ensuring policy-based access.
- Survivability in disconnected environments, enabling operational continuity in contested scenarios.
True interoperability across security domains
Pexip seamlessly connects different platforms, enabling:
- Cross-domain interoperability, ensuring seamless collaboration between different organizations, networks, and classifications.
- Integration with NATO FMN standards, supporting mission network partners across strategic alliances.
- Gateway solutions that bridge legacy video conferencing infrastructure with modern collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams.
Scalability for mission-critical operations
Pexip delivers high-performance video collaboration at scale:
- Surge-capable licensing, allowing rapid scale-up for mission scenarios.
- High-quality video optimized for constrained networks, ensuring performance in tactical deployments.
- Advanced AI-powered capabilities, such as real-time transcription, language translation, and speech-to-text.
Proven success in defense deployments
Pexip is trusted by the world’s leading defense organizations & strategic alliances:
- Selected by an international defense alliance and Information Agency (NCIA) for secure collaboration at multiple classification levels.
- Deployed in multinational defense networks, supporting secure communication across major defense alliances and partner nations
- Integrated with mission-critical Command and Control (C2) and defense applications, enhancing operational effectiveness.
Read more about secure video conferencing for defense: Pexip's role and innovations
The future of secure defense collaboration
As defense organizations transition to next-generation collaboration architectures, Pexip remains at the forefront – delivering secure, scalable, and interoperable video solutions that support strategic, operational, and tactical missions.
Ready to modernize defense collaboration?
Explore how Pexip Secure Meetings can enhance secure communications for your mission.
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