Student or scientist may soon pitch a groundbreaking idea to Defence

With a new innovation institute, Defence wants to tap into ideas from individual students and researchers. It will also visit campuses to find useful expertise.

Among many shots in the dark, there is sometimes a direct hit. That is what a new institute set up by the Ministry of Defence is looking for, minister Dilan Yeşilgöz told the House of Representatives last Thursday.

The new National Institute for Defence Technology (NIDT) wants to hear not only from established researchers and defence companies, but also from students and scientists in unexpected fields, for example. This has produced results before. A radar developed to spot birds, for instance, is now being used to detect drones in Ukraine.

The new institute aims to deliver ‘new military capabilities’ that could ‘fundamentally change’ the way wars are fought. It will present specific military problems to the general public, and anyone can respond. The first concerns the North Sea: Defence wants to develop an integrated system to monitor and protect it.

On the road

A promising idea will be developed step by step in collaboration with the NIDT, until a working prototype is ready. A budget has been set aside to buy successful inventions, but no figures have been given.

The institute does not intend to simply wait for proposals to come in. It will also visit universities of applied sciences and universities to see what expertise they already have, a ministry spokesperson says. The NIDT is based in Amsterdam, but will also have ‘hubs’ near the technical universities in Delft, Eindhoven and Twente.

Student union LSVb is critical of cooperation between education and research institutions and the military, but universities of applied sciences and universities have agreed to step up their cooperation. A lot of money is going to Defence, including funding for scientists.