Defense Tech Summit: Hard Tech for Hard Power

On 20 March, Dr Andreas Schwer, CEO of Electro Optic Systems (EOS), and Oleksandr Danyliuk, President of Destinus, discussed power in an age of autonomous systems, AI-driven warfare and industrial-scale drone production at the Unternehmertag. The panel was moderated by Philipp Hartmann, General Partner at Mountain X. EOS has published a detailed summary on its website, which we are pleased to share here:

Under the theme “The Great Re-Shuffle. Who Holds the Cards in Tomorrow’s World?”, the discussion explored the geopolitical and technological shifts shaping the years ahead.

The discussion made clear that warfare is undergoing a fundamental shift. Not incrementally, but at speed. Low-cost, scalable drone systems are reshaping the economics of conflict, where effect now outweighs cost and even simple platforms can neutralise high-value assets. This dynamic is redefining deterrence and forcing a reassessment of how capability is procured and deployed.

A central theme was the growing importance of scale. The challenge is no longer innovation alone, but the ability to produce, deploy and sustain systems rapidly and in volume. Industrial capacity, supply chain resilience and access to skilled talent are becoming as critical as technological performance.

At the same time, the battlefield is increasingly becoming a software environment. Systems are no longer developed in long cycles but are continuously updated, often in real time, based on direct operational feedback. Speed of iteration is emerging as a decisive advantage.

Defence is evolving accordingly. Integrated, multi-layered architectures combining interceptor drones, high energy laser capability and AI-enabled command systems are becoming the new standard. These approaches are designed to counter emerging threats such as coordinated swarm attacks, which can overwhelm traditional defences and expose the limits of existing approaches.

The vulnerability of critical infrastructure adds further urgency. Even a single drone can disrupt airports, energy systems or military installations, with coordinated attacks amplifying this risk.

The discussion also reflected that many of these dynamics are already evident in current conflicts. The challenge now lies in how quickly these lessons are translated into strategy, procurement and operational readiness.

The conclusion is clear. Speed, scale and adaptability will define what comes next.

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Photo: Philipp Hartmann, Oleksandr Danyliuk, Dr Andreas Schwer, Dr Conny Boersch, ©Unternehmertag/Urs Golling