Tokyo, Japan, 1 September 2026 – The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Japan hosted the Belgian Defence Industry Seminar during the visit of Theo Francken, Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade. The event brought together defence industry representatives from Japan and Belgium to discuss opportunities for expanding bilateral defence cooperation and exploring potential future joint projects. The seminar was particularly significant as it took place shortly after Belgium appointed its first-ever Defence Attaché to Japan, marking a new milestone in security and defence relations between the two countries.
Darren Gillam’s Key Message
One of the presentations at the event was delivered by Darren Gillam, Asia-Pacific Managing Director of Intersoft Electronics Group.
A former Royal Australian Navy radar engineer, Darren has spent nearly two decades with Belgium-based Intersoft Electronics and attended the seminar alongside Brian Ku, the company’s representative for Japan and South Korea. He opened his presentation by describing himself as an “Honorary Belgian” and emphasized that Intersoft Electronics’ most important asset is not advanced technology, but people.
Drawing on his military background, Darren explained that military personnel operating in real-world environments must be able to place absolute trust in the systems they use. No matter how sophisticated radar systems, IFF technologies, surveillance networks, or command-and-control systems may be, they cannot deliver their intended value unless operators trust them completely.
- Trust between industry and customers
- Trust between developers and operators
- Trust between nations
- Trust among NATO allies and partner countries
He emphasized that such trust forms the foundation of successful defence cooperation and enduring security partnerships.
The Intersoft Electronics Philosophy
The company’s motto, “Think Global, Act Local,” reflects its commitment to combining global expertise with strong local partnerships. Intersoft’s international presence across Belgium, Europe, the United States, Australia, South Korea, and India is a direct result of this approach.
He noted that today’s defence industry depends on increasingly complex supply chains and advanced technological ecosystems. No single country or company can independently possess every capability required to address modern defence challenges. Future competitiveness will therefore be determined not only by technological excellence but also by the strength of partnerships and the depth of collaboration.
The Capabilities of Intersoft Electronics
Founded in 1983, Intersoft Electronics operates in four core business areas:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- CNS Test & Evaluation Solutions
- RF & Radar Solutions
- Global Service Support
The company’s manufacturing facility in Oostkamp, Belgium, features a vertically integrated production environment encompassing design, PCB manufacturing, machining, testing, certification, and final assembly. This structure enables high levels of quality assurance, enhanced security, supply chain resilience, and shorter development timelines.
Intersoft technologies support a wide range of defence and aerospace applications, including:
- Military IFF systems
- Civil and military aviation transponders
- Counter-UAS systems
- Air surveillance systems
- Space and satellite electronics
The company collaborates with leading global defence and aerospace organizations, including HENSOLDT, Airbus Defence & Space, Thales, Saab, Raytheon, and the European Space Agency (ESA), while participating in numerous international programmes.
Innovation Begins with Collaboration
During the latter part of his presentation, Darren highlighted the importance of cooperation by quoting Aristotle:
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Intersoft’s history of innovation includes radar performance measurement systems developed in cooperation with Eurocontrol, long-range air defence radar modernization programmes, wind farm interference mitigation technologies, and fire-finding radar upgrades.
More recently, the company has introduced advanced digital test and evaluation capabilities through SkyRF CNS Drone and SkyRF Generator technologies. These solutions enable radar and IFF Mode 5 systems to be tested and validated without requiring live aircraft or actual targets. Such capabilities represent an important advancement in an era where interoperability and digital verification are becoming increasingly critical within the defence sector.
Trust as the Foundation of Future Defence Cooperation
In closing, Darren stressed that Intersoft Electronics is not merely a company that delivers technology; it is a company that builds relationships.
The organization includes numerous employees who have remained with the company for decades, while many customer relationships have also endured for generations. These long-term relationships are not simply the result of technical performance but of mutual trust.
Ultimately, the central message of the seminar was clear: while advanced technologies will continue to shape the future of defence, the foundation that makes those technologies effective is trust between people.
The Tokyo seminar provided a vision of a future in which Japan and Belgium, together with NATO allies and Indo-Pacific partners, are connected through shared purpose, trust, and cooperation. Darren’s presentation captured that vision and highlighted the enduring importance of relationships in building the future of international defence collaboration.
