- IOTA is exploring the use of Digital Product Passports (DPP) to enhance military equipment management.
- The DPP system aims to improve interoperability, traceability, and sustainability in defense supply chains.
IOTA, a blockchain-based technology, is being explored for its potential in the defense sector, particularly through its involvement in the Digital Product Passport (DPP) project. The European Defence Agency (EDA) is working with IOTA to incorporate DPPs into military equipment supply chains, focusing on improving interoperability, traceability, and stock management.
The DPP system aims to enhance the management of military assets, such as body armor vests, by sharing product information across supply chains. The project is essential in integrating blockchain technologies into the defense industry.
IOTA’s Role in the Defense Sector
IOTA is not directly leading the defense project but is playing a crucial role in advancing the concept of DPPs. The European Defence Agency (EDA) initiated the Digital Product Passport (DPP) project under its Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED).
IOTA is going into defense?
"For military equipment, the DPP can also improve interoperability across functions – procurement, maintenance, logistics, etc. – and countries."https://t.co/Fpi16QCYe2
— Dominik Schiener (@DomSchiener) March 18, 2025
The project aims to streamline military supply chains across different countries, including procurement, maintenance, and logistics. IOTA, a high-performance blockchain solution, offers a sustainable and efficient framework to support the DPP system. The system enables secure data sharing between stakeholders in the defense supply chain, ensuring that sensitive product details remain protected while facilitating collaboration.
Benefits of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) for Military Equipment
The introduction of the DPP into the defense sector is expected to offer several benefits. One of the primary advantages is improved interoperability across different functions and countries. By providing real-time access to product information, the DPP enables better coordination between procurement, maintenance, and logistics teams, even across borders.
Additionally, the DPP enhances traceability by linking military equipment to its detailed history, including its origin, maintenance, and lifecycle. This feature significantly improves the management of defense equipment, ensuring authenticity and reducing the risk of counterfeit products. The DPP also aids in better stock management, helping military forces track the location and condition of their assets more efficiently.
IOTA’s involvement in the DPP project is essential for ensuring secure and efficient data exchange. The data-sharing system requires a unique persistent identifier for each product, a physical marker or device, and a secure IT architecture to support data exchange. By enabling this secure communication system, IOTA helps create a more efficient and transparent process for managing military assets, enhancing both operational effectiveness and security.
Future Directions for IOTA in Defense
The success of the IOTA-based DPP in the defense sector has led to plans for further development and validation of the system. A follow-on project is expected to test a prototype DPP system, with additional discussions on expanding the concept to other areas of defense. The potential for DPPs to improve sustainability in defense supply chains aligns with the European Union’s Green Deal, aiming to integrate circular economy principles into the defense sector.
Additionally, IOTA’s recent Rebased upgrade, which includes Move-based smart contracts and a Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) model, has improved the scalability and efficiency of the network.
As indicated in our earlier discussion, these upgrades strengthen IOTA’s capabilities, making it a more attractive platform for real-world applications in defense. The Rebased upgrade ensures that IOTA can support high-throughput, decentralized applications, including military-grade solutions like the DPP system.
