The future of defence tasks / war

National General Day

Every year, all generals of the Dutch army meet to exchange information. I had the honour to share my vision on the future of defence tasks. I had previously spoken for NATO, the air force, and the healthcare division of the department of Defence. Before that I wrote the e-book The Future of War. All of the above experiences provided a wealth of inspiration for my keynote about the future of Defence.

The future of war has arrived. By land, by air, digitally, but also in space. Defence is a ‘country’ and a ‘city’ in itself, comprising smart buildings, mobility, healthcare and HRM. New skills and a vision on ethics are also needed within the Defence sector. The keynote was therefore also about new leadership and ways to innovate faster.

Looking at the security of the Netherlands and Europe, it’s clear we’re facing major challenges. The keynote ended with an interesting discussion with a group of intelligent and progressive generals.