Swdedish Technologies in the Defense and Security Shpere and NATO Smart Defense Concept

AFCEA “SOFIA” CHAPTER CONFERENCE

WITH THE SPECIAL PARTICIPATION OF MRS. AVGUSTINA TZVETKOVA, DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENSE

TITLE:  „Swdedish Technologies in the Defense and Security Shpere and NATO Smart Defense Concept"

 

GOALS:

  1. To continue AFCEA efforts to promote NATO Smart Defense Concept via presentation of ideas, equipment and technologies of leading defense companies.
  2. Briefly to present Swedish views on Smart defense concept and general overview of SAAB’s capabilities in equipment and technologies for Defense and Security.
  3. To enhance the expert knowledge about the Gripen solutions in the light of NATO Smart Defense Concept.
  4. To present Land based Air Defense Solutions and tactical C2 system (Battalion Batle Group and Naval variant).
  5. To present the futute development and additional functionalities of the delivered to the Bulgarian Land Forces DITS training system.
  6. To present solutions for Air and Maritime Trafic Control amd Management.

Traditionally the conference was opened by the Chapter president d-r Simeon Kralikov col. (ret.) He supported the importance of the event as continuation of two previous conferences, organized by AFCEA Sofia Chapter on the same topic with the participation of the Deputy Prime Minister Tzvetan Tzvetanov and the Minister of Defense Anyu Angelov. The ‘Smart Defense” was also discussed in several presentations of the industry during the AFCEA TechNet International event in October in Rome.

Very focused and balanced speech was delivered by the Deputy Minister of Defense Mrs. Avgustina Tzvetkova. She underlined the high value of the Smart defense concept and the support of the Ministry of Defense and also the importance of the AFCEA SOFIA Chapter event.

AFCEA International Regional Vice President for South East Europe Konstantin Zografov and AFCEA Sofia Chapter Board Member Mr. Stefan Stefanov as Moderators of the event contributed to the good communication between lecturers and audience.

AFCEA Sofia Chapter Board evaluates very high the quality of the delivered presentations.

More than 70 experts from the Ministry of Defense, Bulgarian Armed Forces, Ministry of Interior, State Agency “National Security”, State Commission on Information Security, Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Staff College “G.S. Rakovski”. Despite the excellent presentations, the interest of experts from the Land Forces could not be evaluated very high. The passive attitude of the Air Force might be explained with the forthcoming selection of multirole fighter aircraft, while the Land forces low participation is difficult to explain.

In general, AFCEA Sofia Chapter rarely sends special invitations to media. This approach proved to be right once again, as the event was described simply as one organized by the Ministry of Defense, not understanding the role of the association and the purpose of the event.

On the photo: Deputy Minister of Defense Avgustina Tzvetkova, delivering her speech. From left to right, sitting: col (ret.) Simeon Kralikov, Chapter President; Maj. Gen. Jan Anderson, Senior Military Advisor to the Swedish Defense Export Agency; Konstantin Zografov, AFCEA International Regional Vice President for South East Europe.