Research calls for deployment of knowledge ecosystem for Defense
Minister Brekelmans: deployment of knowledge sector is necessary to strengthen strategic autonomy and future-proof the armed forces.
Published on February 9, 2025
The Dutch defense sector faces a significant challenge: geopolitical tensions are increasing, hybrid threats are growing, and technological developments are happening at lightning speed. To make the Netherlands more resilient, the Advisory Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation (AWTI) recommends a strategic offensive: mobilize the entire knowledge ecosystem for defense research and innovation.
In response to the AWTI report Knowledge Offensive for Defense, the Cabinet endorses the importance of an integrated approach in which companies, knowledge institutions, and Defense work together more intensively. Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans states in his letter to the Lower House that this effort is necessary to strengthen strategic autonomy and make the Dutch armed forces future-proof.
Strategic autonomy and technological focus
According to the AWTI report, the Netherlands is too small to excel on all fronts within the defense industry. That is why focus is essential. According to the council, the Netherlands must plan to focus on technology areas in which it can really make a difference within NATO and the EU. This ties in with the five so-called “NLD areas” defined by the Ministry of Defense: smart materials, intelligent systems (including AI and autonomous weapons), sensor technology, quantum technology, and space applications.
To realize this focus, the AWTI recommends developing a 'rolling strategy' that clarifies which capabilities are needed within the NATO and EU context and how the Netherlands can contribute to them. In addition, the council advocates drawing up concrete roadmaps for the Dutch defense industry so that innovation efforts are better coordinated.
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Room for bottom-up innovation
In addition to strategic focus, there must be room within the entire defense ecosystem for spontaneous, innovative initiatives. “Innovation does not just come from the top down, but rather from scientists, engineers, and startups,” the AWTI argues. To harness the power of innovation, Defense must more actively scout for groundbreaking research and civilian technology with defense potential.
The government endorses this need and is working to make test facilities more accessible to SMEs and startups. The new Strategic Agenda Knowledge, Innovation, and Industry for Defense (SAKII-D), will pay additional attention to short-cycle innovation programs and public-private partnerships.
Collaboration with education
A key bottleneck is innovation policy in the defense sector. The defense market has high barriers to entry, complex regulations, and strict security requirements. The AWTI, therefore, recommends strengthening public-private partnerships and further developing defense-specific innovation programs such as Strategic Defense Innovation Research (SDIR).
Cooperation with educational institutions must also become more structural. Defense already works intensively with TNO, NLR, and MARIN, but the AWTI argues that broader collaboration is needed with colleges and universities. “We need not only technology but also social innovation,” the council says. The cabinet is committed to structural partnerships and joint research programs to connect the defense sector with academia.
DEFPORT and regional ecosystems
One of the most concrete elaborations of the new strategy is the establishment of DEFPORT, a platform in which the military, industry, and knowledge institutions will jointly develop innovation projects. Efforts are also being made to form regional innovation hubs, following the example of Brainport Eindhoven's DIANA project. Within two years, the cabinet wants to establish a nationwide network of regional ecosystems in which civilian and military innovations come together.
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