Battlespace or battle-space is a term used to signify a military theatre of operations, in which multiple domains are contested at the same time. Domains where military competition take place include the air, land, sea, outer space, cyberspace and the information environment. The battlespace concept integrates the environment (to include weather and terrain), timeframe and other factors that must be understood to successfully apply combat power, protect the force, or complete the mission. Other relevant factors include enemy and friendly armed forces, the civilian population, infrastructure, socio-political factors and the electromagnetic spectrum within the operational areas and areas of interest.

For many years, the understanding of the military operational environment has transformed from primarily a time and space-driven linear understanding (a "battlefield") to a multi-dimensional system of systems understanding (a battlespace). This system of systems understanding implies that managing the battlespace has become more complex, primarily because of the increased importance of the cognitive domain, a direct result of the information age. Today, militaries are expected to understand the effects of their actions on the operational environment as a whole, and not just in the military domain of their operational environment.

The evolution of competition and conflict during the industrial age has led to a corresponding transformation in the ability to engage in warfare in the information age. The concept of thinking and fighting in the industrial age can be described as the "Old Battlespace," characterized by clearly defined and discernible battlefield lines in the tangible domains of land, sea, and air.

However, as economies and technologies have advanced, the methods by which countries and militaries compete and conduct warfare have also changed. In the information age, the tangible domains of land, sea, and air remain constant, but the emergence and prominence of cyber operations, outer space activities, civil society engagement, and social media usage have elevated the significance of intangible realms in both kinetic and non-kinetic forms of warfare.

This shift to a "New Battlespace" implies that traditional barriers, such as vast distances, oceans, and legal constraints, no longer present insurmountable obstacles. Consequently, emerging domains allow for the weaponization of nearly anything, turning the entire globe into a competitive arena for state and non-state actors. In this context, everyone becomes a participant in global contestation, whether willingly or not, as anything and everything can be utilized as a weapon.

These changes do not indicate a fundamental alteration in the nature of war between the Old and New Battlespaces; rather, they underscore the continuously evolving character of war due to changes in economies, technologies, and military strategies. "New Battlespace" poses complex challenges for strategists and policymakers.

The internet, deep interdependencies, and hyper-connectivity present difficulties for armies that are structured around an industrial age mindset, particularly when it comes to defending one's homeland. Addressing these challenges requires a nuanced understanding of the evolving battlespace and the ability to adapt military structures and strategies to effectively compete and defend against adversaries in the information age.

Battlespace agility, in the context of war-fighting, encompasses the ability of a military organization to rapidly convert knowledge into actionable strategies that yield desired outcomes within the battlespace. It emphasizes the need to outperform the opposing forces by executing appropriate actions at the right time and location. However, battlespace agility is not solely focused on speed; it also underscores the importance of executing actions in the most efficient manner possible to achieve the desired impact on the system. Fundamental to this concept is the recognition that battlespace agility relies on the quality of situational awareness and a comprehensive understanding of the battlespace, which in turn drives the renewed emphasis on the value of military intelligence.