MDO in the Global South: minimum viable Model for C2 and data

Abstract

Multidomain Operations (MDO) and related agendas, such as Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), originating from the United States of America (USA) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), shift operational advantage toward integrating data, connectivity, and command and control (C2) under contestation (EUA, 2018; 2022; OTAN, 2015; 2018). Global South countries, however, face fiscal constraints, heterogeneous legacy systems, technology dependence, and cyber vulnerabilities that complicate the adoption of complex proprietary architectures. This article proposes a minimum viable model for MDO as an incremental set of material and non-material capabilities that delivers measurable gains without requiring full convergence to high-cost ecosystems. The study is qualitative, analytical, and propositional, based on a literature and document review of doctrinal and strategic sources. It synthesizes findings into a layered framework (data, integration, decision, and effects), a five-level maturity scale, a risk matrix (electromagnetic spectrum, cybernetic and cognitive) with prioritized mitigations, and a phased implementation roadmap. To reinforce institutional alignment without a service-specific focus, the paper draws on Brazilian official documents addressing technological autonomy, capability continuity, and resilience of essential services and critical infrastructures (Brasil, 2020a; 2020b; 2025a; 2025b; 2025c). The paper concludes that a minimum viable approach reduces lock-in, improves resilience under degradation, and provides a realistic pathway for Global South countries to strengthen joint coordination, incremental interoperability, and responsiveness in contested environments.