DBI is part of new cooperation on defence technology development

Published: 24.04.23

Eight Danish universities, together with DBI and four other GTS institutes, have formed NFC (National Defence Technology Centre), which will strengthen cooperation with industry and defence. The aim is to contribute to Denmark’s defence and security.

With the war in Ukraine, the security policy situation changed in Europe. In Denmark, the writing was quickly seen on the wall and a national compromise on Danish security policy was made with major investments in the Danish Defence.

This direction will also have an impact on the country’s universities and GTS institutes. The defence of the future is about everything from advanced technology to practical infrastructure. The development of the full spectrum shall be supported by defence technology research, education, training, testing, qualification and certification at the highest international level.

With the establishment of NFC– the National Defence Technology Centre, the basis for this support is created by coordinated and direct access for relevant authorities and companies to the leading Danish research and development environments.

"We want to make our knowledge and skills available so that we can defend our society and the values on which it is based. We are already far today, including research that may initially be incorporated into a civil context, but which can also be used in a defence against today’s hybrid warfare with sabotage, impact campaigns, cyber attacks, actual military operations, etc.," says Mogens Rysholt Poulsen from the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences at Aalborg University.

"This is the first time that the Danish research and development sector has entered into a collaboration with such a clear organisation and distribution of roles in close dialogue with the industry and the Danish Defence. With NFC, we can speed up the development of the necessary defence technology and ensure active exploitation of Denmark’s special strengths," says Chairman of the steering group at NFC, patron Rasmus Larsen from DTU.

DBI works with several of the areas

Special strengths include cyber security, space and quantum technologies, green fuels, advanced drones, electronic systems, information technology, impact campaigns, robotics and satellite-based systems. These are several of the areas DBI works with.

"We live in a changing world with geopolitical crises and natural disasters that affect stability and our supply chains. This places greater demands on the development of existing and new technologies that can increase resilience, both in relation to the Danish business community and the defence of Denmark. DBI has joined NFC so that together we can work purposefully on projects that strengthen these areas," says Jesper Florin, head of DBI Sikring.

Read more about NTC – National Defence Technology Centre (in Danish): www.nfc.aau.dk.