Myriounis Nikolaos*

Based on the current and emerging security threats and challenges in the geostrategic landscape, there is a constant increasing need for a strong and dense defence posture in Europe. 

In the mid to long term, this posture will be built mainly by the development, acquisition, and support of interoperable forces and capabilities. 

Standardization in Defence is becoming increasingly more critical for achieving, enhancing, and maintaining a level of readiness and interoperability within and between European armed forces and is required for credible deterrence and military operations. It also contributes to cost savings in terms of production runs and cost management. 

Also read: CYPSEC 2023 | 3rd Cyprus International Defence & Security Conference completes successfully in Nicosia

At the moment, there is no general alignment on this throughout the European Defence and Space Industrial Ecosystem in order to improve capability development and to support the competitiveness of the European Defence Industry. 

Building up interoperable and cost-effective capabilities is obviously a long-term endeavor which requires, according to the international best practices, the following strategic approach:

• Development or Harmonization of Defense, Security, and Industrial Strategies. By harmonizing defense, security, and industrial strategies we are driving the development of dual-use / hybrid capabilities to meet emerging defense and security challenges, strengthening interoperability, optimizing in parallel the use of available resources, and strengthening the Defense Industrial Technological Base.
• Synchronization of national defense planning with international defense planning projects. The synchronization and harmonization of national and international defense planning projects allow us to strengthen interoperability in multinational coalitions, join Smart Defense and Pooling and Sharing (Cluster) Multinational Programs sharing the burden costs, participating in new technologies, and strengthening the role of the National Industrial Technological Base in international consortia supporting the economic growth.
• Establishment of a Defense Accreditation and Certification System. It is fundamental for all defense organizations to establish a Defense Accreditation and Certification System in order to ensure conformity of the defense equipment with the defense standards provisions. This system safeguards the reliability, maintainability, and life-cycle of defense materiel and guarantees that the systems meet the required interoperability criteria set while we are designing the related defense capability.
• Establishment of a mutual defense qualification acceptance system with Allies and partner nations. A mutual defense qualification acceptance system is considered essential, especially between allies that are engaged in the form of consortium in the development of defense capabilities and the co-production or the follow-on support of defense equipment. This system recognizes and accepts the accreditation and certification systems established by the consortium parties, avoiding duplication of efforts and time/money-consuming procedures on the certification of defense materiel standards during the production and/or acquisition and follow-on support of defense equipment.
• Establishment of a strong link between National SDOs, Academia, Industry, and Defense and Security Stakeholders. Estimations on product cost savings following a more intensive use of civil standards by the military sector range from 10% up to 50%. On this basis, the cooperation of all stakeholders on defense, security, and civil standardization, including academia offering research and innovation is fundamental to optimize the use of resources, maximize operational effectiveness, and upgrade qualitative services and products in both the civil and defense arena.

Also read: The “track” of the accelerating Cyprus defence tech ecosystem | Overview of laws and regulations on cross-border deals and standardization

• Establishment of Higher Education and Training on Defense Planning, Acquisition, and Standardization. Quality is not an act, it is a habit. Building a robust mindset on defense planning, acquisition, and standardization best practices, is fundamental for developing interoperable capabilities. The human dimension of interoperability is considered even more critical than the technical and procedural ones towards successful capabilities development. To this end, it is necessary for all defense organizations around the world to establish higher education on Defense Planning, Acquisition, and Standardization.
• Application of best practice standards in defense procurement and throughout the life-cycle of the defense equipment. The application of the best practice defense and civil standards in the defense procurement guaranteeing the reliability and maintainability of the defense equipment, stretching the life-cycle of the equipment to the maximum possible extent, reducing in parallel its cost, and facilitating interoperability with future defense acquisition programs.
• Application of best practice standardization management policies, strategies, structures, processes, and tools. Defense Standardization bodies have a critical role in qualifying interoperable capabilities. On this, it is essential for a defense standardization organization to establish a defense standardization policy (what), a related strategy (how) an integrated structure (one-stop service) for overseeing and harmonizing standardization activities, a dynamic process for developing, and maintaining, and managing defense standards integrated within the defense planning process and the necessary tools (databases, collaborative platforms, tracking tools) for the management of standardization projects and facilitating the capabilities related interoperability profiles.

In other words, the key challenge for the military forces is to be “born interoperable”. The answer in this is to build-up capabilities with the formulation of interoperability requirements and the implementation of best practice standardization solutions in the capability pillars of Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership, Personnel, Facilities (DOTMLPF).

Further details and advice on building up interoperable defense capabilities are provided at the DEFSTAND PC official website.

Also read: Memorandum of cooperation signed by the Ministry of Defence  and the Cyprus Organisation for Standardisation

* Captain (Ret) Nikolaos Myriounis Hellenic Navy

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