When people think of the security and defence industry, they usually picture vehicles, ships or aircraft. However, the sector has long included small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and software providers, whose solutions are just as vital to the operational capability of the armed forces and security agencies as traditional equipment.
One of the fundamental questions here is: How do organisations communicate securely, confidently and when it really matters? This is precisely where Teamwire comes in. We have been a member of the Federal Association of the German Security and Defence Industry (BDSV) since 2026.
What is the BDSV?
The Federal Association of the German Security and Defence Industry (BDSV), based in Berlin, represents the collective interests of the German security and defence industry, or SVI for short. Its member companies see themselves primarily as suppliers and partners to the German National Army and to public authorities and organisations with security responsibilities. According to the association, over 600 companies are currently members of the BDSV, ranging from large corporations to specialised small and medium-sized enterprises.
The BDSV sees itself as a link between businesses, politicians, institutions and the public. It represents the sector in dealings with the German Parliament and the Federal Government, European institutions and NATO. It is itself a member of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the European umbrella organisation ASD, the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) and the German Society for Defence Technology (DWT). In addition, it supports its members at trade fairs and specialist events.
For a provider such as Teamwire, one aspect is particularly important: the BDSV explicitly includes the digital industry. The aim is to drive forward the convergence of information technology and traditional product portfolios in the security and defence sectors.
Why Teamwire is a member of the BDSV
The operational capability of the armed forces also depends on whether information reaches the right people quickly and securely, whether in the field or in logistics, training, administration and in collaboration with industry partners. Anyone who relies on private messaging apps or communication platforms where data processing, infrastructure and access rights are not entirely under their own control risks creating additional dependencies and restrictions on data sovereignty.
This is precisely why Teamwire has been developing a communication platform for safety-critical and regulated organisations since 2014. More than half of Germany’s police forces use our messenger service, including the Bavarian Police.
We are applying this experience in operational communications to the security and defence industry, where Teamwire is already in use. Features such as alert messages, live locations, push-to-talk, a role concept, and audit-proof archiving support mobile team coordination. Through federation, organisations can also communicate securely across system boundaries whilst retaining their own independent Teamwire infrastructures and their administration.
Equally crucial is the question of where data is stored and under whose control it lies. Teamwire is a German company; our software is developed by teams in Germany and Spain, and our information security is ISO 27001 certified. Our operational options include hosting in Germany in BSI C5-certified data centres, private cloud environments and on-premises installations.
These operating models enable organisations to run their communications infrastructure independently of US cloud providers. This reduces external dependencies and strengthens digital sovereignty – an increasingly important factor for armed forces and companies in the security and defence industry.
However, sovereignty alone is not enough in an emergency. Communication must continue to function even when other systems fail. If, following a cyber-attack, the network is isolated or the central IT system fails, it is often precisely those channels through which the recovery would need to be coordinated that are cut off. Teamwire can therefore be operated as an independent communication channel alongside the regular IT infrastructure. This ensures that crisis management teams, leadership teams and emergency services remain reachable and able to act, even when email, telephone services or collaboration platforms are unavailable. For the armed forces and companies in the security and defence industry, this resilience is not an added bonus, but a prerequisite for carrying out their mission.
Through membership, we aim to network with companies, end-users and policymakers, contribute our expertise in secure and sovereign communication to professional dialogue, and work with other members to further develop solutions that meet the industry’s requirements. This membership complements our involvement in the Federal Association of Professional Mobile Communications (PMeV), of which we have been a member since 2024.
Tobias Stepan, CEO at Teamwire:
“Anyone who wants to be capable of defending themselves must remain capable of communicating: securely, confidently, and even when other channels fail. Through our membership of the BDSV, we are bringing our experience of mission-critical communication within security agencies to where it is particularly needed today. We look forward to engaging with member organisations and to working together to contribute to the resilience of Germany and Europe.”
What membership means for customers and partners
In the long term, our customers and partners are also set to benefit from our membership. The dialogue within the BDSV enables us to identify the requirements of the security and defence industry at an early stage and incorporate them into the further development of our communications platform.
At the same time, the network opens up new opportunities for partnerships. Many BDSV members supply systems and services in which secure mobile communications play a key role. For them, Teamwire is a partner from within their own sector who understands the regulatory and security framework and for whom data sovereignty is not merely a selling point, but the starting point for product development.
Are you responsible for communications at a company in the security and defence industry, or at an end-user organisation, and are you wondering whether your current channels would hold up in an emergency? If so, it would be worth having a chat – perhaps within the framework of the BDSV network.
Find out how Teamwire supports the military and defence sector, or arrange a personalised demo.
