Capt. (Navy) Boyan Mednikarov, Ass. Prof., D Sc

1. International Conference “Security and Defence R&D Management:Policy, Concepts and Models” THE SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE MARITIME SECURITY SYSTEM OF THE COUNTRY – FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AT N. Y. VAPTSAROV NAVAL ACADEMY Capt. (Navy) Boyan Mednikarov, Ass. Prof., DSc

2. Factorsdetermining the dynamically changing security environmentin the Black Sea Region • the increased number of state players that exercise sovereign rights on the maritime spaces in the region; • the heightened dynamics of economic exploitation of the maritime spaces, and particularly the continental shelf; • the presence of a significant and tending to increase military and economic imbalance among the states in the region; • the markedly enhanced interest in the region by international organizations and certain states, related to the expansion of NATO and EU in Eastern Europe; • the conceptual changes in the ideas on ensuring the security in the maritime spaces of the region.

3. BULGARIA AND PROBLEMS OF THE BLACK SEA REGION SECURITY • On the basis of its geopolitical location, Bulgaria logically came into the focus of these changes. • As a member state of NATO, Bulgaria has unequivocally taken its stance regarding the global challenges for peace and security both in the world and in the region. • The allied responsibilities assumed thereof are combined with the commitments of our country pursuant to our membership in the EU and are related more specifically to Bulgaria’s role of southeastern border of the Union.

4. Problems of the functioning of the maritime security system of Bulgaria • The optimisation of the system has started, mainly consisting in replacing the centralised model of control in NMS with a system of network type; • The institution-centred approach is firmly setting in. The following can be observed: • duplicating structures and disintegration of efforts; • lack of coordination in the course of carrying out control and especially in rendering critical services; • absence of uniform management procedures; • lack of common understanding for the problems on the part of the management personnel; • absence of unified requirements to the preparation of the forces, the equipment and the support provided to them. • the different institutions work on their own and without coordination or co-operate episodically. • practice has shown that they fail to be a reliable tool for the protection of maritime sovereignty because the needed transparency among them is absent, and even competition can be observed at times.

5. Conclusions for the development of the maritime security system of Bulgaria • The entire spectrum of tendencies pointed out extends the list of challenges for the maritime security system and reveals a serious gap in the theory and practice related to the protection of national and allied interests in the Black Sea Region. • The lack of sufficiently systematised knowledge on the problem predetermines the inadequate conceptual support to the protection of the interest of the Republic of Bulgaria related to NMS. • to establish an effective and efficient maritime security system and for it to function in this manner is only possible on the basis of an all-in scientific support of the realisation of the different aspects of the maritime policy of the state.

6. The maritime policy of the state– as the object of the scientific support The maritime policy determines the goals, the tasks, the areas of focus, and the methods of realising its interests in NMS and on the high seas. From the point of view of the scientific support the following principles of realising the maritime policy are a matter of interest: • applying an integrated approach to the management of maritime affairs; • keeping all the components of the sea power at a high level; • unifying the efforts and coordinating the academic research on the issues regarding the formulation and the realisation of the national maritime policy; • conducting comprehensive maritime academic research; developing the systems of monitoring the marine environment and the littoral areas, etc.

7. PROBLEMS OF THE METHODOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE SYSTEM OF NATIONAL SECURITY • Military reform cannot be successful if it does not rely on science and if there is no understanding and willingness to utilise its achievements. • On the other hand, the content and the end results of the reform are largely dependent on the degree of development of military science. • as far as the modernisation of the armed forces is chiefly associated with the implementation of new technologies, the discussions on the development of the system for military science research are often brought down to the development of armament and military equipment only. • This is a one-sided position, typical primarily for the specialists from the field of the military technical areas of focus. • It results in developments that cover technical and technological problems only, unrelated to the all-in scientific support to defence. By nature these are sufficiently obsolete and are not in accordance with the present-day state of affairs and the existing global trends.

8. The present-day issues facing the national security system require the application of a radically different approach. • It is necessary to create and develop a national system for scientific research in the field of security, enabling the specialists to conduct all-in scientific research • This system hasto be directly related to the current and the perspective needs of the national security system and covering all the areas that are immediately related to enhancing its capabilities. • The realisation of the described all-in approach to organising R&D for the benefit of national security requires paying special attention to Vaptsarov Naval Academy as a specific educational and research institution.

9. DIRECTIONS FOR SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT TO THE REALISATION OF THE NATIONAL MARITIME POLICY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF ITS MARITIME SECURITY SYSTEM • Conceptual support to the transformation of the system and the formation of a new security policy in the Black Sea region; • Studying the current needs of the nation’s Navy, maritime transport and marine industry; • Developing projects for the scientific support of the Bulgarian Navy to achieve their technical compatibility and interoperability with the NATO partners; • Conducting scientific and applied science research to the interest of defence and the prompt implementation of their results in the activities, the modernisation of the armed forces (the Navy) and the achievement of the required operational capabilities;

10. DIRECTIONS FOR SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT TO THE REALISATION OF THE NATIONAL MARITIME POLICY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF ITS MARITIME SECURITY SYSTEM • Conducting research, developing projects and technologies in priority areas defined by NATO for Bulgaria (projects related to: the protection of ports and naval bases from terrorist threats; new technology for surface and submarine reconnaissance, surveillance and detection, mine surveillance and mine countermeasures in shallow water, ports, etc.) • Developing technological solutions in support of the decommissioning and utilisation of surplus armament and equipment. • Participating in international projects related to NATO and the EU, integrating in their system of defence research and maintaining close co-operation with leading countries and companies within particular spheres of naval equipment and marine technology; • Developing and optimally utulising the scientific and production potential of Bulgaria in the realisation of projects to the interests of the MoD and the Bulgarian Armed Forces, and transfer of civil developments for the needs of defence;

11. DIRECTIONS FOR SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT TO THE REALISATION OF THE NATIONAL MARITIME POLICY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF ITS MARITIME SECURITY SYSTEM • Realisation of scientific programmes contributing for the competitiveness of the defence industry and providing project and technology for utilizing new market niches; • Realisation of projects on developing a state-of-the-art infrastructure for research, education, and qualification at the Academy; • Organising experimental, prototypical and small-scale batch production of new samples of military and marine equipment.

12. Strategy for Research and Development of the Naval Academy • It is formed and formulated on the basis of the institution mission and strategic goal - developing the Naval Academy as a centre of fundamental scientific and applied science research in the sphere of naval sciences and marine technology,as well as its establishment as a scientific research and engineering implementation unit for the Navy, water transport and marine industry. • Its aim is to stimulate the continuous renovation of the scientific potential, the development of a state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and achieving diversification in the sourcesof funding for scientific research.

13. Goals of the R&D strategy of the Naval Academy • The formation of a long-term scientific policy of the Academy as a component of and in harmony with the national scientific policy; • The stimulation of internal and external integration through active participation in NATO and EU programmes amd intensive regional co-operation; • The development of new, rational mechanisms for effective funding fir scientific research.

14. Relation between the R&D strategy of the Naval Academy and the Bulgarian national strategy for scientific research • The main goal is the allocation of resources for conducting scientific research towards solving essential needs of the society and the economy of the country, enhancing their productivity and developing human potential. • The most efficient indicators for the effectiveness of scientific research are the use of scientific knowledge on the international market of products, technology and services and the publication of their results and evaluations n an international level. • NSSR has to contribute to the integration of Bulgaria towards the developed European countries • The legal basis to develop NSSR is the Scientific Research Promotion Act (2003).

15. The principles of the R&D strategy of the Naval Academy • Introducing R&D priorities in the area of scientific competence of the Academy, corresponding to the policy and the priority of the MoD, NATO, and the marine industry of the Republic of Bulgaria; • Integrating the process of education and the research activities in a singe training and research process; • R&D integration with other institutes and implementation units and coordination of the scientific policy of the Academy with the consumer sector; • Active international co-operation.

16. Main areas of focus of R&D at the Naval Academy • maritime education and qualification activities; • maritime safety and security; • naval armament and equipment; • navigation; • marine technology.

17. Programme structure of R&D at the Naval academy 1. Perspective research – conducting theoretical informational and analytical studies, elaborating concepts and prognoses, reviews and analyses in the area of naval armament and equipment, maritime sciences and technology. 2. Applied research – conducting research and studies assisting the development of the armament system in the Bulgarian Armed Forces (the Navy), the safety and security of shipping, the effectiveness and the reliability of maritime equipment. 3. Demonstrations of new technologies and perspective concepts for modernizing the armaments and maritime equipment and for realising the force goals of the Bulgarian Navy – participation with scientific projects in exhibition on a national and international level.

18. 4. Developing the Academy’s infrastructure for scientific research and testing new samples of armament and maritime technology and for training and qualification activities Involves continuing the development of the simulation facilities and establishing water facilities witг polygons for: • testing of samples of armament and maritime equipment; • certification training and qualification in maritime safety and security; • laboratory with a polygon for submarine technologies; • authorised laboratory for full-scale certification trials for the seagoing, manoeuvrability, and seaworthiness characteristics of vessels.

19. 5. Organisational scientific acitivities Involves participation at national and international scientific forums, organising and conducting scientific events in the country and participation in the establishment of scientific associations and organisations. The Naval Academy has entered into framework agreements for co-operation and joint activities with: • The Institute of Hydro and Aerodynamics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – the activities are directed within the area of naval shipbuilding, high precision underwater weapons, modernisation of naval armament and equipment, etc., as well as on establishing a joint laboratoryfor certification trials of foreign ships; • The institute of Oceanology at BAS – activities related to the implementation of applied science achievements in the area of oceanology and physical fields in projects on modernisation and conversion, joint search and rescue and submarine technology operations by means of divers and submarine methods and equipment. The Academy continues its participation in the activities of: • The Highly Technological Business Incubator – Varna, with the provided opportunity for utilisation of the scientific production and technological potential of the city of Varna; • The National Oceanographic Commission at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission e of UNESCO, for participation in projects related to marine sciences and technology, funded by the UN.

20. 6. Scientific and informational support to R&D Involves: • publishing collections of studies, thematic and jubilee editions; • patent activities; • providing scientific and specialised literature, periodicals and other informational carriers and materials. A Scientific and Informational Module has been built at the Library Centre of the Academy to provide direct connection to electronic libraries and data bases in the country and abroad.

21. 7. International scientific and technical co-operation Involvesparticipation of the academic staff in NATO workgroups and conducting joint activities and participation in research programmes within NATO and the European research programme with: • The Naval Academy (ECOLE NAVALE) of France and its Research Institute; • The higher national school for armament engineers -ENSIETA, France; • The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO– to participate in projects on maritime sciences and technologies funded by the UN; • The scientific research institute at the University of Lisbon - Portugal.

22. CONCLUSION • The Bulgarian Naval Academy is an important component of the national system for scientific research in the sphere of security and a holder of key competences in R&D for the scientific support to the realisation of the maritime policy of the country • The successful completion of this complex and large-scale task of nation-wide significance requires a clear vision, excellent organisation and active involvement. • The realisation of the R&D Strategy of N. Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy in the analysed aspect will enable its establishment as a centre of naval sciences and marine technology.