This is how the Dutch Army trains to win tomorrow’s conflict
Over a course of 4 days in June ethical hackers of Fox-IT took part of a combined training exercise for the Dutch Army. Multiple divisions and tactical units consisting of hackers, communication specialists and technical specialists came together for an experiment. In a fictional scenario civilians and military worked closely together in obtaining a mutual goal while thinking about ‘tomorrow’s conflict’.
Scouts and snipers who work with hackers and influencers to gain access to an enemy object. Placement of a drop device by a technical specialist with infantry protection and distraction by influence specialists. The raid into the house in which the engineer’s specialist collects the stolen technical material with support from remote cyber expertise (reachback).
Only a few scenarios that were reenacted during the exercise of the Tactical Information Maneuver Team in Oostdorp. Cyber specialists turned part of the training village into a real cyber village with cameras, routers and sensors.
These days were all about new ways of acting, cooperation at a tactical level and bottom-up innovation. Participants in the exercise included forensic specialists from the Dutch Police, search specialists from 108 Texint, hackers from Cyberteam KL and Fox-IT, influencing specialists from 1 CMI Commando and infantrymen and engineers from 13 Light Brigade.
Only through open innovation with young leaders and specialists can we be ready for commitment to the conflict of today and tomorrow!
George Dimitriu (Batallion Commander 17th Armored Infantry Battalion) shared his experiences in a podcast (in Dutch)