This briefing was held as a closed‑door session. This article provides a high‑level overview of the event and does not attribute views, opinions, or positions to individual speakers or participants.
Cyber Ireland, in partnership with the Irish Defence and Security Association (IDSA), hosted a member briefing on Cybersecurity for the Defence Sector on 24 March 2026 in Dublin. The meeting brought together senior representatives from the defence industry, cybersecurity companies, universities, government and Defence Forces to examine how Ireland’s cybersecurity sector can engage more deeply in the rapidly evolving defence market.
Meeting agenda:
- Welcome & Introduction from Cyber Irelan & IDSA
- National Defence and Cybersecurity – Irish Defence Forces, Joint Cyber Defence Command
- EU Defence Market Opportunities for Cybersecurity, EU Industrial Engagement Unit, Department of Defence.
- Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Regulation, Department of Defence.
- Working Meeting Contributions from attendees
Setting the Stage: Why Defence Matters for Cybersecurity
The defence sector is undergoing rapid digital transformation, with cybersecurity now a critical component of national, EU, and international security priorities. With increasing cyber threats to defence and nations, there is an unprecedented national and European investment in defence.
National Defence and Cybersecurity Landscape
Ireland is undergoing the most significant transformation of and investment in its defence in the State’s history. The Defence Sectoral National Development Plan 2026–20301, launched in December 2025, commits €1.7 billion in capital investment, a 55% increase on the previous baseline, explicitly including upgrades in the cyber domain.
The State has formally established the Joint Cyber Defence Command (JCDC), with a dedicated Defence Forces Cyber‑Defence Strategy 2024–2027, which will create a military cyber command that will eventually grow to 300 personnel and be capable of both defensive and offensive cyber operations.
The cybersecurity industry has a key role in supporting the Defence Forces’ Cyber Defence Strategy and to address specific national defence cybersecurity needs.
EU Defence Market Landscape
Europe is scaling its defence capability in response to heightened geopolitical risk, and with this comes increasing demand for cybersecurity solutions. The European defence cybersecurity market generated US$7.5 billion in 2024 and is forecast to reach almost US$20 billion by 2033, growing at 11.5% CAGR.2
Major EU‑level defence initiatives and funding are being implemented with specific cybersecurity solutions needs. Key programmes discussed include:
- The European Defence Fund (EDF), with over €1 billion in annual funding and more than €100 million dedicated to cyber defence, sensors, simulation, and naval cyber capabilities.
- EU White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030, setting out Europe’s long‑term capability development pathway.
ReArm Europe, an €800 billion plan accelerating Europe’s defence industrial capacity.
Industry, Research, and Ecosystem Engagement
The Defence industry is led by large, mature defence companies embedded in national military procurement and supply chains. Defence manufacturers and integrators are increasingly seeking specialist partners with innovative cybersecurity solutions. The opportunity for Irish cybersecurity companies is to partner with those international defence companies.
Irish universities and companies are well placed to engage with EU‑funded collaborative R&D programmes with dual‑use potential. EDF funding targets AI‑enabled threat detection, secure communications, quantum‑resistant encryption, and autonomous defence systems—areas where Ireland already boasts leading‑edge expertise.
Conclusion
The convergence of national and EU defence investment, and strong international industry interest creates an opportunity for Irish cybersecurity companies. However, challenges persist for SMEs breaking into a mature defence market. Understanding these opportunities and challenges can help to position Ireland’s cybersecurity sector to better engage in the defence sector
Keep up to date:
Cyber Ireland and IDSA will continue working with members to understand requirements, needs and challenges , and ensure Ireland’s cybersecurity sector is well positioned as a trusted contributor to international defence innovation.
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