VDE Defense: Turning point

The VDE has established a new division called "VDE Defense", responding to a security reality in which technical systems are just as crucial as military capabilities. Modern defense has long been a technological matter: it relies on identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities in energy, communication, and data infrastructures at an early stage. Armed forces and civil society alike depend on robust digital and physical systems — from resilient communication and power grids to sensors, microchip availability and a reliable medical technology sector. Engineers develop the technical foundations for this. The importance of an organization that bundles this expertise and makes it applicable to security policy needs is growing rapidly. “Technological expertise is already an essential element of both civilian and military security preparedness,” emphasizes Markus B. Jaeger, who is building up the new division.

As a lawyer, politician, reserve officer (rank: Lieutenant Colonel of Reserve) and veteran of a NATO deployment, Jaeger is a natural choice for this leadership role. He combines practical security policy experience with a deep understanding of regulatory and technological processes. “Protecting civil society is part of the VDE’s historical DNA. The new division is therefore not an entirely new field, but a strategic hub. Resilience is just as important here as military capability,” Jaeger explains: Digitalization, AI, cybersecurity, New Space, energy and communication networks, and industrial and medical technology — the new division will systematically merge all VDE competencies and transfer them to security-relevant applications to strengthen Germany’s and Europe’s technological agency. At the start, four focus areas are prioritized:

1. Drone reconnaissance

Drone flights over power plants, airports, or other critical facilities continue to increase, while classic radar systems do not provide full coverage of low-altitude airspace. The VDE aims to identify ways to achieve comprehensive drone detection to protect the population and critical infrastructure. In light of the German government’s plans for a national drone defense center, the VDE calls for clear responsibilities and targeted funding to enhance coverage and resilience.

2. Resilience is the key

Energy and communication systems are so tightly interlinked that disruption in one network has immediate effects on the other. For Germany, the NATO logistics hub, this creates a particular security-policy responsibility. The Roadmap System Stability of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs aims to enable a fully renewable yet secure power system. The VDE coordinates or supports many of the key measures — from integrating decentralized energy producers to protecting data centers with emergency power concepts and improving cybersecurity standards. However, delays at the EU level – in particular the Connection Network Code 2.0 – are slowing modernization. The VDE also stresses that medical care, including medical technology, logistics, and data infrastructure, is becoming increasingly security-critical, as it is now a frequent target of cyberattacks and supply chain risks.

3. Employment in the defense sector

The defense industry is expanding rapidly – from major defense corporations to specialized SMEs and start-ups. Yet the shortage of skilled workers in electrical and information engineering threatens this growt. In 2025, around 13,000 retirements face only 7,500 graduates.
Security regulations worsen the situation, as many foreign Master’s graduates cannot participate in classified project. Years of inadequate higher education policies – unfilled professorships, the reduction of E/IT study programs, and a strict separation between civilian and military research – have weakened talent pipeline. The VDE therefore calls for a strategic realignment of higher education and research policy, including harmonized security clearance procedures, stable, long-term funding and targeted measures to inspire young people to pursue E/IT careers in security-relevant sectors.

4. Microelectronics as a core security factor

Microelectronics underpin nearly all modern defense and security applications: sensors, radar, secure communication, navigation, electronic warfare, drone and missile defense, cryptographic technologies, and medical systems for military operations. Yet Europe has drastically fallen behind in semiconductor production over the past two decades — from about 20% to under 8% market share. This dependency on non-European suppliers creates major security risks, as critical components may become unavailable in crises. The VDE underscores the need to build strategic capabilities in power and specialty semiconductors, radar chips and sensor systems, highly reliable components design, fabrication and advanced packaging and industrial ecosystems that meet strict security standards. Research in quantum and high-frequency technologies must be translated into deployable systems that can support operational forces when needed. Microelectronics are not just an economic asset – they are a strategic defense asset. Whoever controls critical chips maintains operational sovereignty in crises and conflicts.

VDE Defense is being created at a time when technological dependencies and security risks are deeply intertwined. The new division aims to apply technical expertise to strengthen national resilience – in close cooperation with policymakers, science and industry. Or, as Markus B. Jaeger puts it: “We must reduce vulnerabilities before they become relevant. This is not merely a technical task, but a societal one.”