Professor Bohuslav Přikryl, former rector of the University of Defense and brigadier general in the reserve, works as vice president for science and research in the CSG Aerospace division, which is part of the CSG holding. In his position, he follows the development of technologies and tries to identify which ones should be used in new products that will affect not only the military, but the whole society.
MILITARY TAKES CIVILIAN TECHNOLOGY. IT WAS THE OPPOSITE BEFORE, SAYS PROFESSOR PŘIKRYL
You worked in the military academic environment for a long time, you were rector of the University of Defense. It is said that the military sector brings key innovations to society. Examples are information technology, the Internet, jet and rocket propulsion. Does it still apply in the 21st century?
Historically, the military sector has been the source of many innovations. In the 21st century, however, its importance as a generator of innovation is decreasing. Thanks to extremely rapid advances in the commercial and academic spheres, this is being reversed: Soldiers are trying to apply commercial technologies to the military. The commercial sector is faster in innovation and the technologies that arise in it are more accessible. The commercial sector can also invest huge resources in innovation. An example of how the military uses commercial innovative technologies is Elon Musk and his company SpaceX, more precisely its Starlink constellation of communication satellites, which found use in the Ukrainian conflict.