Smart military security: Integrating emerging technologies and contractual governance in the protection of strategic infrastructures of the Ecuadorian Army

Abstract

The transformation of defense systems in the 21st century requires military institutions to integrate emerging technologies into their strategic, operational, and contractual structures. This article addresses the evolution toward “smart military security” in the context of the Ecuadorian Army, understood as the articulation between advanced technological capabilities—such as artificial intelligence, cyber defense, cyber-physical systems, and logistics automation—and solid, ethical, and efficient contractual governance. Using a qualitative approach and a specialized review of high-impact academic databases (JCR, Scopus, REDIB, Dialnet Metrics, and ERIHPLUS), fourteen key thematic areas are analyzed to understand both the advances and limitations Ecuador faces in its transition toward a more modern, resilient, and sovereign defense. The results show that, although there are positive signs in the adoption of technological innovations, significant gaps remain in terms of institutional planning, human talent training, regulatory security, and inter-institutional integration capacity. Contractual governance is identified as a critical element in ensuring that technological investments respond to the strategic interests of the state and do not create harmful dependencies. In addition, the study highlights the need to adopt an ethical and multidisciplinary vision that allows for the anticipation of dilemmas inherent to military automation and digital surveillance. Finally, the study proposes a set of guidelines to strengthen Ecuadorian military security through a strategy of gradual, contextualized, and sovereign innovation, emphasizing that technology, without a robust governance framework, can become as vulnerable as what it seeks to protect.