BUT hosted General Assembly of Defense and Security Industry Association of Czech Republic for first time

On June 5, the Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology (FCH BUT) hosted a meeting of representatives from companies and institutions important for security cooperation within the Czech Republic. The General Assembly of the Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic (AOBP), a regular event hosted by BUT for the first time, was attended not only by members of the Association from industry and research organizations, but also featured speeches by high-ranking representatives of the Czech Republic’s defense and security forces.

The members of AOBP were welcomed by Michal Veselý, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry BUT.

The opening remarks were given by the hosts from BUT. Members of the AOBP were first welcomed by Dean of the Faculty Michal Veselý. He was followed by Vice-Rector of BUT Martin Weiter, who highlighted examples of the university’s research activities – from rescue systems and armor, to space applications and simulators for aviation technology. He also mentioned equally important areas of cooperation and development of dual-use technologies such as cybersecurity, quantum cryptography, and deepfake detection.

He also recalled the successful cooperation between BUT and the University of Defence, which led to an honorable mention for an innovative exhibit of an autonomous swarm of drones and robots at the recent IDET fair. Another exhibit – the MobiSHIELD ballistic wall – was on display at the entrance to the faculty premises for the General Assembly guests. “None of this would be possible without cooperation with our strategic partners – the Ministry of Defence, the Czech Army, the Ministry of the Interior, as well as numerous research organizations and industrial companies,” emphasized Vice-Rector Weiter during his speech.

Vice-Rector of BUT Martin Weiter gave examples of the university's research activities in the areas of dual use.

Lieutenant General Miroslav Hlaváč, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, recalled the traditional connection between Czech industry and the army. According to him, current activities of the Czech defense and security industry build on this tradition, aiming primarily to support the country's defense capabilities – the main task of the Czech Army (AČR) – as well as to meet other requirements arising from the country’s NATO membership.

In this context, a current challenge is achieving the AČR’s target capabilities set by NATO, the so-called Capability Targets 2025, which represent increased demands on the quality and quantity of forces. “The army therefore needs not only manufacturing capabilities but also development and practical implementation of modern technologies such as robotics, cybersecurity, or sensor utilization,” said Lieutenant General Hlaváč.

The traditional links between Czech industry and the army were highlighted by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant Miroslav Hlaváč.

Police President Lieutenant General Martin Vondrášek presented the priorities of the Czech Police (PČR) intersecting with the national security industry. These include increased demands on the ability to investigate cybercrime (currently up to 10% of all registered crimes in the Czech Republic annually, editor’s note). This is linked to efforts to implement artificial intelligence more extensively in data processing for investigations and to develop PČR information systems, such as the Central Firearms Register. Other important tasks include ensuring ballistic protection for units and introducing VR technologies for training.

Police President Martin Vondrášek presented the priorities of the Czech Police.

The Fire Rescue Service (HZS) was represented at the AOBP General Assembly by Deputy Director General Major General Petr Ošlejšek. In his speech, he focused on opportunities for cooperation, particularly in sharing technologies across security forces, such as in the use of heavy equipment or CBRN protection. He also highlighted cooperation within the National Information Platform for Civil-Military Cooperation, which aims to share information between civilian and military components of systems designed for crisis management.

Other speakers included Jiří Horecký from the Confederation of Employer and Business Associations of the Czech Republic, Milena Bačkovská, a legal expert on firearms legislation from the Ministry of the Interior, and Leoš Mauer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who introduced the Defence Hub, an initiative by CzechInvest (part of NATO’s DIANA program) supporting innovation and technological development in defense and dual-use technologies. The General Assembly was chaired and moderated by Jiří Hynek, President and Executive Director of AOBP.

Demonstration of the latest defense innovation from BUT – the MobiSHIELD ballistic wall at the entrance to the FCH BUT campus.

The Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic (AOBP) is an interest association of legal entities engaged in research, development, production, trade, and marketing services related to military equipment and materials. The Association brings together 230 member companies and presents itself as a non-governmental, non-profit, and non-political organization. Brno University of Technology is a full member.

Published
Link https://www.fch.vut.cz/en//f81551/d293119