Navigating the new security landscape: insights from DefSecIntel CEO Jaanus Tamm

DefSecIntel CEO Jaanus Tamm shares insights from the front lines of defence innovation. He explains how the modern security landscape demands constant innovation, and highlights the importance of collaboration across Europe, and the impact of the European Defence Fund.

Could you give us a brief overview of DefSecIntel and its main areas of expertise within the defence and security industry?

The DefSecIntel name comes from “Defence-Security-Intelligence” and that’s what we do. DefSecIntel Solutions, one of the leading Estonian defence and security technology companies, develops and manufactures mobile autonomous turn-key surveillance and control, and C-UAS solutions with AI-assisted technology. Our mission is to create a more secure world, therefore we are developing and manufacturing mobile autonomous combat-proven surveillance systems with AI-assisted technology for different end-user missios (for example, border guards and defence forces). Our combat-proven innovative solutions are equipped with AI-powered C2 software that enables fully autonomous operations with automated video surveillance for area scanning, threat detection, classification, and verification with a visual operator situational awareness. 

The equipment, already operational in military and border security applications, includes mobile surveillance systems equipped with a variety of sensors and integrated UAVs, providing wide-range, all-weather, day and night surveillance with AI-based edge-computed analysis for detection and classification with sensor fusion. Our main products are SURVEILSPIRE –  a mobile autonomous situational awareness system, vehicle-based system CAIMAN, cutting-edge AI-powered C2ISR software that enables fully autonomous operations with automated area scanning, threat detection, classification, and verification by the operator, and the EIRSHIELD C-UAS system, providing air defence with multiple detectors and effectors. And several more cutting-edge designs are in development.

We were established in 2018 and grown from early stage start-up to one of the leading Estonian companies, with several combat-proven products and a team of more than 120 people. Our HQ, R&D and production is in Tallinn, Estonia, but we also have an office in Germany and a  maintenance and R&D hub in Kyiv, Ukraine. We have just been nominated as part of the Estonian Enterprise of the Year 2024 competition “Top1 Innovator” and selected to TOP3 in the Exporter category, as well as the most competitive technology company.

How has the changing security landscape in Europe, particularly in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

War in Ukraine has changed a lot, however, the security environment was already changing because of, for example, the migrant crisis, hybrid threats, and illegal border activities. But the war in Ukraine has shown what the warfare of the future will be like. On one side, drones-autonomous systems and AI are here to stay, because these have changed the decision-making on the battlefield and the speed of action. Warfare and battlefield automation and digitalisation continues, and AI will play a more important role because different sensors are creating so much data, a single person cannot process and make decisions using it, and that’s the reason why decision-making is becoming more and more software-based and why smart autonomous or automated solutions are needed. Therefore, our solutions are focussed on addressing the challenge of information gathering, filtering, and distribution across military, border security, and internal security missions and to help end-users.

All the systems DefSecIntel has developed, based on different end-user needs and lessons learnt from Ukraine, have competitive advantages because of rapid new tech integration with changes from the battlefield. Smaller companies may have innovative solutions for technological challenges which can be developed and integrated rapidly. Our CAIMAN system – a vehicle-based system with different sensors – was developed in cooperation with the Ukrainians.

The development cycle in defence technologies has become extremely fast. A new solution can be developed with days or weeks. What we have learned is that you have to be fast, take end-users feedback quickly, but also provide quality products. Ukraine is a real-life testbed and a good partner for new technological development. We are very proud that DefSecIntel’s innovative solutions are being used on the battlefield and helping to create a more secure world.