The Politics and DV Engineering working group analyses current political developments in the defence sector. It provides independent facts and interpretation from engineers' technological knowledge and experience.
The working group has the following questions and comments on the 2018 Defence Paper. These have been prepared based on publicly available documents and defence technology knowledge and experience. The recommendations cover technological or related aspects only.
The note contains a large number of positive points. First and foremost, the budget increase stipulated in the coalition agreement, but Defence is also moving in a good direction on many other points. However, a number of points of criticism and apparent contradictions can also be identified.
The working group sees as a major shortcoming that the Defence Paper does not, or not sufficiently clearly, address how a technologically advanced armed force will be realised. Buying off-the-shelf proven products is inherent in lagging behind technological developments. A truly high-tech armed forces should be ahead of the curve. Intensive cooperation with industry and knowledge institutes (formerly the golden triangle) has proven to be a successful formula for many years. Innovative forms of financing, common in other sectors, also fit the bill.
In a growing economy, as we know it now, there will continue to be a shortage of technically high-quality skilled personnel. At least at the moment, the policy intentions on personnel seem to offer little concrete perspective on how Defence intends to catch up, or even avoid increasing its backlog. It therefore seems sensible to focus specifically on technology, which requires little or no personnel during military deployment. This would bring two policy principles closer at once: reducing personnel shortages and gaining a technological edge.
You can read all the working group's questions and comments here.
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The Hague, 17 April 2018
More information on the Politics and Defence Technology working group can be found via this link.
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Disclaimer: The facts and opinions given are based on open sources and on the knowledge and experience of working group members.
As part of the professional association KIVI, the working group is independent of political parties, governments and companies.
This is not an official position of KIVI. The association accepts no liability for anything put forward by the working group or its members.
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