Carries special responsibility
The war in Europe is directed not only against Ukraine but against a rule-based order, says M. Wachter, and German history and geographical location involve a special responsibility for European security.
‘As a military framework nation, Germany bears a special responsibility here. Taking responsibility means standing up and acting, not just reacting. This responsibility must be reflected in concrete political action, together with our partners, such as the Baltic states,’ he highlights.
The Baltic states are an important partner due to their geographical location on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU and their military capabilities, says Wachter, adding that in the current security situation, this partnership needs to be strengthened further.
Defense through space
At the Baltic Miltech Summit, M. Wachter will discuss space as an equally important fifth military dimension alongside land, sea, air, and cyber.
‘Space is gaining strategic importance. Space travel and sovereign access to space are elementary for governments' ability to make decisions and act in foreign and security policy. Foreign missions of the armed forces are no longer conceivable without the support of space systems,’ says M. Wachter.
According to M. Wachter, satellites and the data and services they generate are indispensable for military reconnaissance, communication, and operations. It is now crucial to Ukraine's defense against Russia and we need to take a greater look at the capabilities of innovative companies and startups to build a modern, useful, and competitive European defense system.
Has the motivation for joint projects
The Baltic Miltech Summit will take place in Lithuania, the Baltic country, whose geographical location is both sensitive and encouraging. According to M. Wachter, Lithuania can take pride in its innovative companies in the security and defense industry. ‘It’s my second time at the summit. The event impressively demonstrates the capabilities of Lithuanian companies. I am also very pleased that the BDI-NewSpace Initiative maintains a strong partnership with the Lithuanian Space Technology Cluster,’ he says.
Developing joint projects with Thales, Tomas Žalandauskas, Manager of the Baltic Institute of Advanced Technology (BPTI), says the need for a unified approach to the defense in the region is crucial, and so are collaborations between Europe’s defense ecosystems.
According to T. Žalandauskas, the Baltic Institute of Advanced Technology (BPTI) participates in joint projects with EU and NATO companies for scientific research relevant to the defense industry and the development of specific defense systems. France is one of the biggest countries with one of the strongest defense industries in Europe, and it’s natural to encounter the country’s companies in various projects.
‘We have done homework in a political alliance, now our goal is to develop an integrated EU, NATO defense industry with next-generation defense systems. To do that, for example, we are now collaborating on eight research and system development projects with Thales. Specific areas we’re working on are microchip design, machine learning, AI, and cyber security, says T. Žalandauskas, adding, ‘The fact that accelerated this collaboration was the beginning of the war against Ukraine, already started in 2014.’
He adds that Lithuanians have big motivation to collaborate with EU, and NATO countries’ defense ecosystems and already have many successful innovation examples. ‘The current situation in Europe shows that these collaborations must be built fast because complex defense systems are not being built in a year or two. It takes time, patience, and the ability to work consistently to create bigger things,’, says T. Žalandauskas.
Alice Guitton, Vice President, Thales Northern & Central Europe, says ‘Thales has a very positive experience working with the Lithuanian defense ecosystem for the modernization of the Lithuanian Army. As a leader in advanced technologies, Thales has in the past 20 years partnered closely with the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense and executed projects together with local companies such as Elsis, DAN Communications, as well as BPTI. By empowering local organizations and strengthening collaborations, we are convinced we can leverage on Lithuania's talent pool to develop a thriving industry that drives innovation.’
Aims to foster collaborations
Romualda Stragienė, Director of Innovation Agency Lithuania – the organizer of the Baltic Miltech Summit, says future military innovations are not possible without close partnerships between private and public sectors and it’s what the upcoming event is about. The Summit aims to gather all defense ecosystem players in one place and have discussions that could lead to real actions.
‘There is a global need for closer collaborations in many forms. Alliances between private and public sectors or military and SMEs should cross local borders and be formed within the region. It would serve Europe’s defense interests both geopolitically and technologically’, says R. Stragienė, adding, ‘Some countries already lean on R&D-investing SMEs to help develop innovations for both military and civilian use. However, the process is slow and the Baltic Miltech Summit offers a good place to speed up these collaborations.’
According to R. Stragienė, the event will also discuss funding as the defense VCs have grown rapidly and now complement financial injections from the governments. ‘Even though historically Lithuanians are stronger in electronics, IT, lasers, and other scientific activities, one crisis after another shows that these competencies could be transferred and adjusted perfectly to more important needs. The increasing interest in defense tech has already resulted in the rising numbers of startups, funding, and success stories in the Baltics,’ she adds.
