The process of equipping or organizing something for military use, or the state of becoming militarized. Often used in political or historical contexts.
The militarization of the region is progressing.
Voices opposing the militarization of space are being raised.
武装 means arming or being armed, often on a smaller scale; 軍事化 implies a broader systemic transformation toward military control.
Compound of 軍事 (military affairs) + 化 (-ization). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common Sino-Japanese pattern for forming abstract nouns.