NATO’s DIANA innovation programme is expanding its network with new sites in Hungary, the defence ministry revealed on Monday, 18 March. In the public statement, the ministry cited an announcement from the DIANA initiative that it will be linking accelerator and test centres in Hungary to the alliance’s innovation network.
NATO DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) was established with the purpose of using defence-based innovation to create added values that can be useful in both the civilian and defence sectors, the ministry elaborated.
Hungary is joining NATO’s defence industry innovation network with an accelerator and several test centres
with the aim of boosting both domestic and international R+D cooperation within the alliance, the statement added.
The dual-use nature of the solutions being developed contributes to domestic industrial growth, the ministry noted. It added that the acceleration of innovation would allow domestic businesses to establish themselves at a NATO level, leading to job and economic growth.
Meanwhile, the accreditation of six DIANA test centres will further strengthen Hungary’s role within NATO,
the ministry said, noting that the test centres have been established by the University of Pécs, Budapest’s Óbuda University, BHE Bonn Hungary Electronics, Alverad Technology Focus, ITSec Area and Nokia Bell Labs.
The ministry also noted that the ZalaZONE Automotive Proving Ground and ZalaZONE Research and Technology Center are also DIANA-accredited sites.
Imre Porkoláb, ministerial commissioner for defence innovation, said Hungary’s increased presence in the DIANA initiative would advance knowledge transfers and contribute to the success of the applications of domestic innovators. The statement cited Deeph Chana, Managing Director of DIANA, as saying that the broad scale and diversity of DIANA network partners accelerated the development and introduction of innovative solutions for defence, security and peace.
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Sources: MTI/Hungarian Conservative
