US Department Of Defense Urged To Use Bitcoin As A National Defense Strategy

JAKARTA - A US Space Force officer Major Jason Lowery urged the US Department of Defense to consider Bitcoin as part of a national defense strategy. According to him, this cryptocurrency technology can provide a strategic advantage in cyber warfare.

Lowery sent an open letter to Defense Innovation Board on December 2, providing independent recommendations to US Department of Defense leaders on new and innovative technologies.

In his letter, Lowery argued that Bitcoin is not only a financial innovation, but also a paradigm change in cybersecurity, which is in line with the strategic "offset" concept.

According to Bitcoin.com News, the strategic "offset" concept is a strategy that utilizes technological advances to balance or eliminate the traditional military power or the opponent's numerical superiority. Lowery argues that Bitcoin, which uses a proof-of-work (PoW) mechanism to reach consensus, represents an "offset" strategy for the 21st century.

The Space Force Major claims that Bitcoin can be used to protect not only financial information, but also almost any kind of data, message, or order signal. "As a result, this misunderstanding [regarding bitcoin] underestimates the strategic significance of this technology widely for cybersecurity, and as a result, national security," Lowery said.

He suggested that the US Department of Defense start investigating cybersecurity applications from technologies such as Bitcoin. "Integration of this technology could revolutionize national defense strategies in cyberspace and lead to a major shift in handling cyber conflicts," Lowery said.

Lowery also suggested that Defense Innovation Board advise the US Secretary of Defense to prioritize investigations into national strategic interests from proof-of-work protocols such as Bitcoin.

"Handling this can be vital so that the US can maintain its position as a superglobal force and leader among nations, especially in an increasingly digital and connected world haunted by cybersecurity vulnerabilities," Lowery said.