"The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research defines technological sovereignty as the aspiration and the ability to play a collaborative role in shaping the development of key technologies and technology based innovations. This includes the ability to formulate requirements for technologies, products and services according to one’s own values, to develop, enhance and manufacture key technologies to meet these requirements, and to participate in defining standards for global markets."
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 2021
"Digital sovereignty is the ability and the opportunities for individuals and institutions to independently play their own role in the digital world in a safe and self-determined manner. The ability to process the relevant data must be ensured with up-to-date information technology that is functional and trustworthy?"
The German Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology, 2023
Digital technologies are changing our lives. Whether it’s smart homes or smart cities, ePayment or eMobility, we live in an increasingly digitalized environment and already rely on electronic devices in almost every area of our lives. In the future, 5G wireless communications will be indispensable for autonomous driving within smart networked traffic infrastructures and for Industry 4.0 – and the race to 6G has already begun.
High-performance electronics are a prerequisite – or even the backbone – of all these technological advances. Rohde & Schwarz plays a key role in shaping the development of these electronics. The company’s test and measurement equipment is used throughout the wireless communications ecosystem, gets autonomous vehicles on the road and makes smart industrial systems a reality.
Microelectronics defines technical progress in our digitalized world like no other key technology. Innovative, efficient test and measurement equipment such as the solutions from Rohde & Schwarz is a core element of every value chain in the microelectronics industry. It enables the development and production of microelectronic components and systems.
"Andreas Pauly, President & CTO, Rohde & Schwarz
The requirements imposed on electronic products and digital infrastructures in terms of connectivity, functionality and energy efficiency are constantly growing. The result? Developers across all industries are faced with increasingly complex challenges, such as when designing and developing integrated board architectures and intelligent software.
The common foundation for all these fields is microelectronics. In our highly digitalized world, it determines the pace of technical progress like no other key technology. It is therefore vital for companies and governments across the globe to successfully shape the development of microelectronics and set their own standards instead of following the standards of others.
Microelectronics will be vital to advancement and innovation for years to come. It is therefore important to strengthen sovereignty in Germany and Europe along the entire supply chain. IPCEI ME/KT pursues this objective. IPCEI stands for "Important Project of Common European Interest" and is a project in the field of microelectronics and communications technologies (IPCEI ME/KT) of the European Commission. It will help to strengthen Europe's position in the global competition, boost technological sovereignty and resilience and increase the independence of EU states in times of geopolitical tensions. Rohde & Schwarz is part of this effort. The company is developing an innovative and efficient test and measurement solution for the microelectronics industry to cover higher frequency ranges such as the microwave range, especially the D band (110 GHz to 170 GHz).
The company is investing in the development of gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology for millimeterwave applications at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF). The semiconductor material makes it possible to generate very high output power, which forms the basis for future mobile radio infrastructure and applications such as New Space, automated driving and Industry 4.0. In the future, these semiconductor components will be processed at the Rohde & Schwarz plant in Memmingen with a high degree of automation.
By investing in (GaN) semiconductor technology and microelectronic setup technology, Rohde & Schwarz increases its flexibility, reliability and high degree of vertical integration. This benefits all of the company's customers, which also strengthens their own technological sovereignty. And last but not least, IPCEI will help pave the way for automated mobility and, thanks to wireless access and satellite technology, bring mobile communications to even the remotest regions of the world.
IPCEI
The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) supports Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) in the fields of microelectronics and communication technologies. The funding supports developments of future-oriented, innovative microelectronics and communication technologies up to market maturity. The developments are intended to complete the European value chain and thus contribute to European technological sovereignty. Energy-efficient technologies and processes advance climate protection.
But it’s not just microelectronics that is decisive for innovation and progress. The same applies to other key areas such as the second generation of quantum technology, i.e. quantum computing and quantum communications. Keeping pace internationally in the development of key technologies requires reliable test and measurement solutions that for both R&D and production.
Personalized medicine
Personalized medicine: Not every patient responds in the same way to standard therapies. Personalized treatments are providing new hope. However, determining the optimal treatment for an individual patient in a timely manner involves solving extraordinarily complex optimization problems. Conventional computers are insufficient for this, but quantum computing could potentially help, and research is underway worldwide.
Operating and maintaining quantum computers requires a wide range of specialized T&M solutions that can generate and measure RF signals with extremely high precision. Quantum computer control systems are part of the product portfolio of Zurich Instruments, a Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary.
The success of digital transformations depends on the security of the information and communications systems used. Especially in times of political and economic uncertainty, a reliable and secure digital ecosystem is more important than ever before. The objective is to protect everyday digital activities as well as critical infrastructures and data against unauthorized access and manipulation.
As a leading European manufacturer of future-ready network and security solutions, we enable businesses, administration and governments to shape their own digital sovereignty.
"Ralf Koenzen, Executive Vice President Networks & Cybersecurity, LANCOM Systems
In the retail sector, being able to pay at supermarket checkouts using a smartwatch requires failsafe IT infrastructures. In the public sector, network technology and IT infrastructures are critical for digitizing sensitive data such as business or social information and even details of criminal proceedings, and for protecting this information in the digital realm. Another good example is the energy sector. Here, digital technologies are helping continually improve the efficiency of energy generation and distribution.
Intelligent energy supply
Intelligent energy supply: Critical infrastructures such as electricity and water supply systems, healthcare and financial institutions are subject to particularly comprehensive security guidelines due to their importance to society.
Dependable network and security solutions are essential to strengthen the resilience of companies and organizations that are subject to special security and certification requirements. The Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary LANCOM Systems offers such solutions. The company’s routers, gateways, access points, switches and firewalls are entirely free of backdoors, i.e. secret eavesdropping interfaces. LANCOM’s products and solutions are developed and manufactured in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, and are subject to strict requirements under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Cloud management is also hosted in Germany.
Nowadays, digital sovereignty has special significance for national security issues. Our technology-driven world is creating new opportunities – and new challenges – for government authorities, armed forces, critical infrastructure operators as well as leading companies in the aerospace and defense industries. Rohde & Schwarz is specifically addressing these challenges with its comprehensive portfolio of communications, reconnaissance and security solutions.
Secure communications
Secure communications: Network centric operations by modern armed forces require high-performance digital radio systems for secure communications. Spectral sovereignty includes the ability to detect and interpret all activity in the electromagnetic spectrum, i.e. communications and radar signals.
A high level of R&D investment over the long term enables us to continuously deliver innovative products to private customers as well as to authorities and governments. Our high degree of vertical integration, which includes semi-finished parts and components, allows us to react quickly and flexibly to changing conditions and requirements. Since all production phases are in-house, we can ensure the highest quality and security standards. From individual chips to integrated systems, Rohde & Schwarz provides everything you need from a single source.
