The VDE is responding: The question of how quickly Germany and Europe can become defensible and, above all, resilient across the board is also a technological one. With its new VDE Defense division, the VDE is addressing the growing importance of technological systems in security and defense policy.
The VDE Defense division is being established with the firm conviction that the civil security of our society and the defensive responsiveness of our country and our allies in the EU and NATO today do not depend solely on its armed and security forces. Engineers also contribute to this by making systems more robust, reducing technological dependencies, and making digital and physical infrastructures more resilient.
Societal safety, which is what the VDE stands for as a technology organization, is achieved through intelligently planned technologies, standards, research, and an understanding of complex system interrelationships. The safety of civil society is part of the VDE's historical DNA. VDE Defense also follows Wilhelm von Humboldt's principle: “Without safety, there is no freedom.” Modern civil and military security means reducing vulnerabilities—before they are exploited. In this way, the lifelines of society are protected long before any damage occurs.
VDE Defense will be broadly positioned and internationally active. Not every activity or content paper will be presented in detail on this website. VDE Defense also sees this as a contribution to safety and resilience.
