Science & Technology on the frontline: How TNO is working towards a resilient Netherlands

Eighty years a strategic innovation partner to Defence

Philip Weimar knows the field from the inside. He began at TNO as a trainee and researcher, then worked at the NATO C3 Agency (NCIA), and later progressed within TNO into management and strategic roles, including within Defence itself. Since 2024, he has been Divisional Director of E&MO, the division focusing on technology and operational knowledge aimed at achieving dominance in the invisible domain.

His perspective on TNO is clear: ‘We have been connected to Defence for 80 years. In that sense, we are Defence’s in-house lab. We develop technology to enhance the safety of our armed forces.’

‘You could best compare us to James Bond’s Q for Defence: from our unique position at TNO, we develop advanced technology that helps military personnel operate more safely and effectively.’ This technology is always geared towards defence. ‘It’s not ‘TNO Offence’, but TNO Defence,’ Philip emphasises. ‘We believe in the defensive role of the armed forces: deterrence, so that others think twice before attacking, and protection if it does happen.’

However, TNO’s role does not stop at Defence. Current threats affect society. ‘We need to become more resilient as a society,’ says Philip. ‘Think about being able to live without electricity for more than 72 hours, or the importance of a robust defence industry. Awareness is growing, but we are not there yet.

Innovation under pressure: faster and closer to operations

Geopolitical reality is also changing the way innovation works. Whereas research used to focus on long-term trajectories, speed is now crucial. ‘Everything has to be faster,’ says Philip. ‘Scaling up, short-cycle innovation, closer to exercises and closer to the battlefield—the actual frontline. You work directly in the environment where it matters.’

This means close collaboration with Defence an partners, and technology that is immediately tested in realistic settings. ‘We are increasingly asked: sooner rather than later. And those innovations must work straight away—failure is not an option. That sets the bar incredibly high. Because in fact, innovations should be allowed to fail frequently in the concept and development phase.’

At the same time, the long term remains essential. ‘The challenge is to maintain balance,’ Philip explains. ‘The cutting-edge technology of today only emerges from a strong, carefully built knowledge base.’

Sovereignty and a strong Dutch industry

A resilient country needs not only knowledge but also delivery capability. ‘The Netherlands has a responsibility to ensure that part of the Defence budget flows back into our own economy,’ Philip states. ‘We actively encourage this, to ensure Defence does not buy everything abroad.’

This concerns strategic autonomy: reducing dependence on critical technologies from other countries. TNO plays an active role as a trusted advisor to Defence, policymakers, industry, and regions. ‘We bring parties together in complex public–private partnerships,’ he says. ‘Because Defence innovations are never developed by a single party alone.’

Resilient in the invisible domain

E&MO brings together two worlds: electromagnetics and military operations. This includes sensors, radar, communication, navigation, and electronic warfare, as well as how these technologies function in operational contexts. ‘Here, people think in both ‘lines of code’ and ‘lines of fire’, to use a vivid metaphor,’ says Philip. This unique combination of knowledge and expertise contributes significantly to military effectiveness and societal resilience.

‘We have become extremely dependent on technology, which is a strength and a vulnerability. And that is exactly where future warfare will increasingly take place: in the invisible domain.’

This leads to unique challenges. How do you defend against drones connected via fibre-optic cables that cannot be jammed? How do you process enormous volumes of satellite data into information that directly improves command and control? How do you make ships less visible through advanced signature modelling?

Working at TNO: learning in breadth and depth

‘You won’t find projects like this anywhere else,’ Philip says. ‘We create things that do not yet exist, and we bridge the gap between the impossible and the operational.’

This complexity requires curiosity and flexibility. Development at TNO does not follow a fixed career path: one person grows into a leading expert within NATO, another leads major Defence programs or European collaborations, while others move between such roles.

‘You can grow here as a technical specialist, but also move into project leadership, business development, or consultancy,’ says Philip. ‘Each step feels like a new chapter, you keep challenging yourself, sometimes within a theme, sometimes in a completely different role. Every step feels like an entirely new job and challenge, but with the same employer.’

Pride, discretion, and the future

Much of the work remains out of sight. ‘Discretion is essential,’ says Philip. Pride therefore lies not in visibility, but in impact: knowing that technology works when it truly matters.

Looking to the future, Philip is clear about his ambition. ‘In five years, our work must demonstrably have contributed to a safer Europe.’ This will be reflected in space-based sensors, counter-drone systems, new operational concepts, more effective command and control for the army, and a new generation of naval fleets equipped with the most advanced systems.

The common thread remains the same: technology and innovation that work where it truly counts not as a lab demonstration, but in the hands and systems of those who keep us safe.

That is the essence of E&MO: bringing together scientific knowledge and military operational insight, driven by one conviction that technological advantage contributes to a safer, more resilient society.