NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Dual-use innovation and critical infrastructure resilience: prospects of bulgaria’s defense innovation center
This paper examines the prospective role of Bulgaria’s newly established Defense Innovation Center at Sofia Tech Park in strengthening critical infrastructure resilience. Designed in line with NATO and EU standards, the Center is expected to test emerging technologies and develop prototypes, with an initial focus on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced defense systems. The analysis adopts a conceptual approach, outlining potential applications of these dual-use technologies across the energy, communications, cyber, and transport sectors. It also highlights key risks, including funding sustainability, dual-use dilemmas, and continued dependence on external technological ecosystems. By situating the initiative within the broader NATO and EU innovation landscape, the paper underscores both the opportunities and uncertainties of integrating defense-driven innovation into national resilience strategies.