Dutch MoD Innovation Competition 2012: “CYBER Operations 2.0”

UPDATE 2012-11-09: and the winner is…. Dutch technology start-up BusinessForensics that submitted a solution for in-memory big data analysis (Dutch). Congrats!

The Dutch Ministry of Defense (MoD) annually issues a “Defense Innovation Competition”, a competition that is intended to get input from and foster relations with Dutch industry and SME. This year’s theme is “CYBER Operations 2.0”. The project document (.pdf, in Dutch) describes it as follows:

For operations and command, the Dutch MoD relies on radio and satellite connections and the internet. But developments such as WiFi, smartphones and tablets will eventually make their appearance in the armed forces. The difference between military radio networks and the internet is therefore becoming more diffuse. And cyber is therewith definitively added to the domain of Defense.Guided by the Dutch National Cyber Security Strategy, the government, industry and knowledge institutions join forces. Externally, the MoD closely cooperates with these other players in the cyber security chain. But internally, the MoD must guarantee the integrity of its own information provisioning, networks and IT infrastructure. Therefore, the MoD is actively pursuing enhanced digital defensibility and the development of cyber as an operation capability. Regarding cyber, the MoD is expeditious and innovative; under the motto “Cyber, more than Defense!”, the MoD must be able to operate in the same way it does in other dimensions (land, sea, air, space), in other words, the MoD must also defend, delay, maneuver, attack and gather intelligence in the cyber dimension. Cyber Security thus entails more than Cyber Defence: for the MoD, it means: Cyber Operations. To this end, the MoD founded the Taskforce Cyber in January 2012.

In order to guarantee its future military capability (power) in the cyber domain, the MoD is in need of new technologies and innovations. With the Defense Innovation Competition 2012, the MoD is challenging the SME and Dutch industry. Use your innovation, your creativity and technological ingenuity to make a tangible contribution to the future of cyber operations.

The proposals are judged by seven criteria:

  1. Applicability/implementability
  2. Innovation
  3. Feasibility
  4. Quality (in terms of language, argumentation)
  5. Competence, reputation of submitting entity
  6. Risk analysis of follow-up phase

The MoD has reserved EUR 200k to make the winning idea become reality. The deadline for submitting proposals is August 22nd 2012. Participation is restricted to Dutch industry and SME.

One thought on “Dutch MoD Innovation Competition 2012: “CYBER Operations 2.0”

  1. Dag, Matthijs,

    Regarding the answer to question 8 …. “Given the amount of electronic systems, their applications and the scope of potential measures, the costs of protection will be very high. Considering the answers to the previous questions, I foresee that establishing a detailed estimate will require a disproportionate effort.” …… would it be more truthful to advise that there is no known or applicable defence against such an attack, other that ensuring that there is no such launch into space orbit of such a device for explosive detonation.

    Although given what little may be known of certain classified/sensitive/militarised satellites, could that already be a lost cause.

    Oh, and how very parochial and short-sighted of the Ministerie van Defensie to restrict input and information/intelligence provision on what needs to be stealthy proactive anonymous cyberspace based leadership for effective HyperRadioProActive IT Defence by virtue of Command and Control of daily news ….. IntelAIgently Designed, Present Product Placements which are universally perceived and accepted as unprogrammed and/or chaotic global events for reaction to …… to Dutch industry and SME.

    But then I suppose one must consider and remember that Ministries of Defence, and especially those which rely on a destructive militarised might, are not leaders in Intelligence ……… and the Cyber Domain is just such an Intelligence Space ……… a Live Operational Virtual Environment Place for Advanced Intellectual Property Share/Information Deployment/SMARTR Intelleakage.

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