Martin Konertz has been appointed EDA Capability, Armament and Technology (CAT) Director as of 1 April 2017. He previously held the position of Branch Chief Multinational Defence Planning, at the German Ministry of Defence in Bonn.
“I am honoured and proud to join the European Defence Agency at a particularly exciting time for European defence in general, and for the Agency in particular. EDA plays a central role in implementing the various defence initiatives launched in 2016, from the EU Global Strategy implementation plan and the European Defence Action Plan to the EU-NATO Joint Declaration, and I look forward to contributing to this important work as the Agency’s Capability, Armament and Technology Director, together with its highly qualified and experienced staff”, Martin Konertz stated when he took up his new post.
As Capability, Armament & Technology Director, Martin Konertz will lead a key directorate that has a crucial function in EDA’s overall mission because it prepares the programmes of tomorrow by maximising synergies between capabilities, armaments and research & technology. The Agency’s main programmes, endorsed by the European Council in December 2013, are all under the responsibility of this directorate: Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR), Satellite Communications, Cyber Defence. Currently, Mr Konertz’ directorate plays a central role in the Capability Development Process which is a key tool for strengthening Member States’ defence capabilities and their interoperability in a collaborative manner.
The new EDA Director holds a degree in electrical engineering from Bundeswehr University Hamburg and a Master Degree in Defence Technology from Cranfield University. Before Martin Konertz joined the Multinational Defence Planning at the German MoD, he was Deputy Defence Adviser at Germany’s Permanent Delegation to NATO in Brussels. During his long and successful career, he also was Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff at the Strategic Reconnaissance Command in Rheinbach (2004-2008) and spent two years (2001-2003) at the 10th Armoured Division in Sigmaringen, including six months as ACOS OPS MNB(SW) KFOR.
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