Admiral Christian Bock, Head of the Bundeswehr Innovation Center, stated that Ukraine is the leading side in the defense innovation race today. Speaking to Ukrinform backstage at the New Age Defense conference in Berlin, Bock emphasized that Ukraine's experience is decisive in the capacity comparison between Europe and Russia.
Bock noted that Europe has industrial power and financial resources but gains battlefield knowledge and experience from Ukraine. According to him, Europe leverages the data generated by Ukraine on the battlefield to properly direct its budget and industrial capacity.
The Technological Lesson Taught by the War
According to the admiral, one of the most important lessons from Russia's war against Ukraine is the need for continuous and rapid technological adaptation to new threats. Bock explained that new threats and experiences emerge daily, requiring a flexible system where decisions can be updated on a daily basis.
Bock said that hardware and software develop at different speeds, and since software advances much faster, the Bundeswehr tries during peacetime to model the processes Ukrainians apply daily on the front lines. For him, the main issue is to build a structure where different components can develop simultaneously but at different speeds.
Ukraine's Adaptability Highlighted as an Example
The Bundeswehr representative expressed that the most impressive aspect for him is Ukraine's ability to quickly adapt to war conditions. He noted that existing capabilities are used together on both hardware and software sides, involving the entire society.
Bock stated that one of the main elements of resilience is the participation of not only the military but the entire society in responding to threats. He also mentioned that robots and unmanned systems can increase the chances of success for the weaker side.
The Delta System and NATO's Approach
Bock described Ukraine's situational awareness system called Delta as a good example of rapid digital adaptation. He noted that the system's open digital structure, information processing speed, and adaptability provide a suitable model for Ukraine.
However, he said NATO cannot directly copy this system for now due to security requirements but expressed their intention to develop similar solutions.
Bock mentioned that the Bundeswehr is working on a system that will integrate various unmanned platforms into a single digital battle picture and that they are developing algorithms for this purpose. He added that Germany's future drone countermeasure system will be shaped by Ukraine's multi-layered defense experience.
The admiral explained that they are advancing with a multi-layered defense approach covering long-range systems, short-range systems, and all tools in between, adapting this structure according to their operational needs and NATO plans.
