In this age of advanced technology, civil security and defense capabilities do not depend solely on security forces and the military. Engineers are also contributing to this by designing more robust systems, reducing technological dependencies, and making digital and physical infrastructures more resilient. For this reason, VDE has decided to establish a new division called VDE Defense.
Five key areas of focus
Since its founding in 1893, VDE has stood for the orderly, safety-enhancing design of technical innovations. Security is in VDE’s DNA. Defense and civil security fundamentally begin with the early detection of vulnerabilities.This is where VDE Defense comes in, with five key focal areas:
1. Resilience is the key
In a networked, complex, and disruption-prone world, traditional security alone is no longer sufficient. What is needed is resilience: withstanding disruptions, adapting, and quickly becoming operational again in the event of damage. For VDE, resilience is the logical evolution of its historic mission. Resilience has both a technical and a societal dimension: democracies are under pressure from hybrid warfare, disinformation, and targeted destabilization – for example, in the context of the Russian attack on Ukraine. These attacks – especially in the digital realm – aim to destroy trust and social cohesion. They are intended to undermine the ability of democratic institutions to act. A society that fails to recognize or take such threats seriously loses its resilience.
2. Safeguard technological sovereignty
Technological sovereignty is not the same as self-sufficiency. Those who wish to remain technologically sovereign must strategically expand key technologies. Take microelectronics, for example: it forms the basis of virtually all security-relevant applications – sensor technology, navigation, electronic warfare, drone and missile defense, and cryptographic technologies. Yet it is precisely here that Europe’s vulnerability due to
dependencies on third countries becomes apparent. In its position paper Technological sovereignty: proposal for a methodology and recommendations for action, as well as in the position papers Hidden Electronics I, II, III, IV VDE has made it clear: microelectronics is the invisible nervous system of society – often underestimated, but critical to the system.
3. Promote new technologies, accelerate research
Modern defense and civil security today rely almost entirely on high technology such as cybersecurity, AI, sensor technology, energy technologies, and autonomous systems. Many technological innovations are classified as dual-use goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. As an independent body, VDE can help define security standards at an early stage, assess risks, and develop ethical guidelines. VDE shines a spotlight on new technologies designed to improve security. VDE supports researchers in the fields of security and defense.
4. Attracting skilled workers
Without skilled workers, there is no technical security, no reliability, and no future viability – neither economically nor in terms of security policy. In 2025, there were approximately 12,700 retirements compared to only 7,500 graduates in electrical and information technology. The situation is particularly critical in the field of security and defense technologies, as 83 percent of master’s graduates in electrical and information engineering from R&D-intensive universities do not hold German passports. Half of these come from countries such as China and India, which are not permitted to participate in national and alliance defense projects for security reasons. As a consequence, the security and defense industry cannot fill open positions. Projects are delayed, and innovation potential remains untapped.
5. Building trust
The VDE Testing and Certification Institute makes security measurable and builds trust. The institute’s services go far beyond traditional product testing. They include security assessments for hardware and software, the analysis of supply chains and components for vulnerabilities, and the certification of critical technologies according to international standards. For VDE Defense, this means that systems used in both civilian and military environments must be trustworthy and tamper-proof – a fundamental prerequisite for operational sovereignty and strategic resilience.
