Technolution, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and TNO join forces for greater digital capabilities
December 3, 2025 – The Dutch Ministry of Defense, Technolution, and TNO today signed a partnership agreement confirming their collaboration on innovation to enhance the digital capabilities of the Dutch armed forces in cyber and electromagnetic warfare. They will be developing a Cyber Node Operation System (CyNOpS) for the Royal Netherlands Navy, a system that can be used both for defensive and offensive operations. The project shows how government bodies, knowledge institutions, and the business world can help each other develop innovations in the field of cyber warfare and the digitization of warfare. It contributes to the Ministry of Defense’s digital transformations strategy.
Innovating with the market
Developments in the field of cyber and electromagnetic warfare are moving fast. All the more important therefore that companies, knowledge institutions, and the Ministry of Defense work together and share knowledge about the latest innovations in the field. Using existing and validated innovations from the market (commercial off the shelf, COTS, and military off the shelf, MOTS) allows the Ministry of Defense to innovate more rapidly. The Royal Netherlands Navy and the Ministry of Defense’s Cyber Innovation Hub (CIH) are now partnering with Technolution and TNO to build an operationally deployable cyber node that uses the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). This system will enhance operational capabilities.
TNO
TNO has been working with the Dutch navy for many years, developing operational capabilities for cyber and electromagnetic warfare. TNO previously developed a prototype of the Cyber Node Operation System (CyNOpS). Patrick de Graaf, Market Manager for the Electromagnetics and Military Operations Division at TNO, says: “Because the functional features proved valuable for the navy’s cyber and electromagnetic operations, it was decided to begin building a new type specifically for the navy on the same basis”.
Improvement for the navy
Commodore Lenssen, Director of Operations of the Royal Netherlands Navy, signed the covenant on behalf of the Commander of the navy: “This innovation will make it easier for naval vessels and other units to send or intercept digital signals. It allows the commander of a vessel to have a clearer image of the surroundings, the ‘situational understanding’. And it enhances the ‘situational awareness’ and boosts protection against electromagnetic activities and cyber threats”.
Technolution
On the basis of specifications provided by TNO and in co-creation with TNO and the navy, Technolution will be realizing an operational version of CyNOpS. Remco Jager, Science and Industry Business Unit Director, says: “As a fully Dutch industrialization and production partner, we make technological progress a practical reality. Using our own, certified development, assembly, and testing facility, we are able to efficiently and reliably industrialize CyNOpS. With our expertise in electronics, embedded systems, and COTS/MOTS integration, we will be delivering a future-proof solution that contributes directly to the navy’s resilience”.
Cyber Innovation Hub (CIH)
The Cyber Innovation Hub is working with the market to create proven, scalable solutions for strategic challenges for the Ministry of Defense, solutions that can be easily implemented in operational military systems. Wouter Roelofs: “The party that innovates the fastest and the most effectively wins the battle. The current partnership will make an important contribution to the digital capabilities and resilience of the Dutch armed forces, because we will be using the latest developments in the field of cyber and electromagnetic activities”.