On Monday, 21 October 2024, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Giannis Kefalogiannis, participated in the discussion regarding “Cyber-Defence & State Resilience”, coordinated by Marianna Pyrgioti, Co-founder Dome Consulting Firm & Communication Expert, in the context of the Convention “Cyber Greece 2024”.
Mr Kefalogiannis stated among other things:
Regarding the fact that the rapid development of new technologies, digital solutions and the use of artificial intelligence have changed dramatically the data in the field of National Security and Defence, as well as how fast and easy the Armed Forces will adjust in the new reality.
It is necessary to face very fast the challenges arising worldwide. Through time, the basic doctrine was that the Armed Forces were called to face threats arising from the land, the sea and the air. Now there are two new dimensions: space and cyber-space. These five dimensions need to be a part of a Defence Doctrine for which both the personnel and the infrastructures must be prepared.
At this moment, a cosmogony occurs in the Armed Forces in the specific field and in this context, we have dealt with three basic axes:
a) The development of new structures,
b) The specialised training of the personnel and
c) The emphasis on research and innovation.
Regarding the structures, we proceeded in the establishment of a Joint Information Technology Corps in the Armed Forces. The goal is the members who will join the Corps to have a specific “career path”, so that through constant training and specialised knowledge be in a position to face any threat coming from cyber-space.
Regarding training, with the new law that we enacted within the year, the opportunity was given for the first time to the Higher Education Military Institutes, that is the Hellenic Army Academy (Evelpidon), the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy, to award PhD, self-reliant post-graduate studies titles, as well as the materialisation of post PhD research of post-graduate studies, giving the students the opportunity to specialise in fields of knowledge like cyber-security and cyber-war.
Regarding research and innovation, with the initiative of the Minister Mr Dendias, we proceeded in the establishment of the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation, which brings on the same table the private and the public sector, aiming at using the work force and the integration of specialised knowledge in the Armed Forces.
At the same time, we proceeded in the establishment of an Information Technology department in the Corps Officers School, in order to train new officers, specialised in information, artificial intelligence and cyber-defence. All these, combined with the two new departments that we have established and come directly under Chief/HNDGS, the Department of Artificial Intelligence and the Department of Data Analysis, aim at going deeper into cognitive subjects that did not exist before in the Armed Forces.
Regarding cyber-security and cyber-resilience which are basic requirements to face threats by hackers and whether the Armed Forces are in the right path regarding material-technical infrastructure, upgrade of the systems and the work force.
On 17-18 October, I participated in the Meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels, where the focus of the discussions was the issue of the hybrid wars. Apart from the initiatives I described before, with the new law 5110/24 we established the “Unit 1864”, a special unit with specialised personnel, ready to face any threat regarding cyber-security and cyber-defence. Adapted to the new data, this unit comes directly under Chief/HNDGS, allowing rapid decision-making. We invest on the training of our personnel in modern techniques and methods of facing cyber-attacks, acknowledging that the most important weapon system of our country is the human factor. We established an Information Technology department in the Corps Officers Military School, which will supply the Armed Forces with members, specialised in that field.
The process of constant refresher training and training is implemented in cooperation with Greek Universities, highlighting the recent Cooperation Memorandum with the University of Piraeus, as well as with research centres of Greece and abroad, aiming at exchanging views and the integration of best international practices, always in the context of cooperation with various organisations.
Regarding the fact that contrary to the procurements of defence weapon systems, the procurements of technological tools must be constantly and quickly renewed, as well as that, along with us, the countries of our region and other countries very far from our region are being modernised in issues of cyber-security.
The speed and the flexibility regarding the process of procurements in the Armed Forces are decisive, especially in Cyber-security. The fact that we must immediately have the necessary systems, the armaments and the stand in order to face these threats is of vital importance. Acknowledging this, we established, as I mentioned earlier, the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation, which functions mainly under private-financial criteria.
The process is essentially the following:
The Staffs record their needs mainly regarding systems of cutting-edge technologies; we draft an invitation, various start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises come, developing innovative solutions and technologies of dual use. We choose the best offer; the prototype is constructed, with funding from the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation.
The Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation actually “copies” the best practices we observe from countries of our region. We create an ecosystem of defence innovation and hope that it will be developed in such a way that we can overcome any obstacles and time delays and our cyber-defence remains timely and capable to respond to recent challenges.