Design an Alliance-wide architecture for the Digital Backbone to inform the development of MDO-enabled command and control services and political consultation that can exchange and share relevant information from the strategic, to operational and tactical, including for nuclear consultation, command and control, levels. This should consider the following: 1. modernized security architectures for ICT services/ software applications adopting the Zero-Trust Architecture paradigm, to complement the existing ‘security measures, promoting security by design and streamlining cybersecurity accreditation; the initially anticipated delivery is a respective architecture by NIAG 2. align with the Alliance federated data fabric architecture and NATO Enterprise cloud-based data architecture being developed as part of the DEF Strategic Plan (PO(2022)0409 (INV)), which should consider a smart data fabric architecture that speeds and simplifies secure access to data across the entire organization; 3. a federated data fabric architecture and set of data services that provide consistent capabilities across a choice of endpoints spanning across NATO Enterprise and, through FMN, the federation, including gateways to industry. The NATO Data Fabric will standardize data management practices and practicalities across cloud, on premises, and edge devices. 4. conceptual architecture for federated search across systems that facilitate information exchange across the Alliance, which ACO will be developing by 4QR23. 5. the integration of sensors (such as AGS, E3-A, AFSC, Surveillance from Space etc.) into the Digital Backbone.