NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (center) with Melanie von der Wiesche, Head of DLR Sites West, and Christian Voigt, Chairman of the Board of ASW West.
At the NRW Security Day 2026 held at the DLR site in Cologne-Porz, experts discussed the future of critical infrastructure protection.
Herbert Reul, Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, called for greater cooperation to combat global threats.
Our institute was represented via a keynote by Head of Department Daniel Lichte and a hands-on exhibit, where users could try out their infrastructure protection strategies.
Under the theme “Between Geopolitics and Business Reality—Economic Security as a Success Factor,” high-profile experts from politics, business, and academia gathered at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne-Porz. This year’s NRW Security Day, organized by the Alliance for Security in the Economy West e.V. (ASW West), inspired important discussions around for the protection of critical infrastructure amidst growing global tensions.
A highlight of the event was the visit and presentation of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of the Interior, Herbert Reul, who once again served as a patron of the conference this year. In his keynote address on the current security situation in North Rhine-Westphalia, the minister stressed that protecting the state and the economy are no longer isolated areas of responsibility. In light of new, dynamic attack methods, close cooperation among all stakeholders is absolutely essential to sustainably strengthen the federal state’s resilience.
The current geopolitical tensions require vigilant companies, but above all innovative, scientifically rigorous solutions. It is precisely at this intersection that the DLR Institute for the Protection of Terrestrial Infrastructures operates. The institute’s impact-driven research provides the technological foundations for safeguarding vulnerable systems and supply networks against physical and cyber threats.
Daniel Lichte, Head of the Resilience and Risk Methodology Department, demonstrated what such an approach to critical infrastructure protection may look like in practice during his highly acclaimed presentation. Using the SkyTHIS situational awareness system, he presented a new approach for the early detection of drone threats. The underlying method enables operators of critical infrastructures to proactively assess the risks posed by drone flights to critical facilities. Since drones are increasingly perceived as an important threat to businesses, the DLR’s activities in the areas of detection and defense methods generated great interest among audience.
Subsequently, participants were invited to experience the institute’s research firsthand. The interactive “KriTISCH” exhibit demonstrated how decision-makers are supported in emergency situations. The digital situation table processes complex spatial data in real time and provides civil defense and security authorities with reliable visual support to act quickly and precisely in crisis situations.
In addition to the excellent and stimulating expert presentations on stage, the day was all aboutbuilding bridges and connecting. During the breaks and at the closing BBQ, guests took full advantage of the opportunity to strengthen or build new networks and delve deeper into the day’s insights.
Contact
Dr.-Ing. Daniel Lichte
Head of Department
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute for the Protection of Terrestrial Infrastructures
