Public key cryptography is nowadays a crucial component of global communications which are critical to our economy, security and way of life. The quantum computers are expected to be a threat and the widely used RSA, ECDSA, ECDH, and DSA cryptosystems will need to be replaced by quantum safe cryptography. The main objective of the HORIZON Europe PQ-REACT project is to design, develop and validate a framework for a faster and smoother transition from classical to quantum safe cryptography for a wide variety of contexts and usage domains that could have a potential interest for defence purposes. This framework will include Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) migration paths and cryptographic agility methods and will develop a portfolio of tools for validation of post quantum cryptographic systems using Quantum Computing. A variety of real-world pilots using PQC and Quantum Cryptography, i.e., Smart Grids, 5G and Ledgers will be deployed to validate the defined framework.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, the need for highly skilled cyber defence operators becomes increasingly critical. In this work, we aim to provide a multidisciplinary exploration into the current educational landscape, focusing on the following pivotal areas: cyber defence educational initiatives, digital skills, technological enablers, and ethical considerations. First, we present the current landscape of cyber defence educational initiatives. Then, we examine the required digital skills, virtual reality and augmented reality initiatives for immersive learning experiences and delve into the advantages of game-based learning for skill acquisition in order to finally provide a holistic evaluation of the complexities involved in cyber defence training. We underscore the importance of standardising training modules tailored to diverse roles within cyber defence. The discussion emphasises the need for ethical and legal guidelines, especially concerning privacy and bias in AI-driven educational tools. Finally, we highlight the importance of dynamic curricula that include technical, legal, and soft skills, along with hands-on training through simulations to prepare operators for real-world cyber threats. This work will serve as a foundation for academics, industry professionals, and policy-makers interested in elevating the standards and effectiveness of cyber defence training suggesting ideas for more specialised, adaptable, and ethically responsible programs.

This paper focuses on identifying possible approaches to harmonising technological solutions, operative procedures, preparedness and cross-sectorial collaboration in the case of cross-border Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI). It presents some of the results obtained in the framework of the VALKYRIES project (Harmonisation and Pre-Standardization of Equipment, Training and Tactical Coordinated Procedures for First Aid Vehicles Deployment on European Multi-Victim Disasters). The first part of the paper presents and analyses the current situation concerning the technological solutions in support of first aid responders, the usual operative procedures and protocols in place, the existing Education and Training (E&T) courses, and the status of cross-border and cross-sectorial cooperation. The second part of the paper summarises identified capability gaps and needs of the first responders (e.g., medical emergency services, firefighters, civil protection authorities, police, military units, and local authorities) in the technologies domain, operative procedures, preparedness and collaboration for effective implementation of their tasks in a cross-border MCI. The third part summarises the prioritised harmonisation opportunities in the above-discussed technological, procedural, E&T and collaboration domains. Finally, some conclusions and next steps are formulated.

A methodology for tracking and analysing the needs for standardization and certification harmonization thorough the project life cycle will be defined and enforced, which will allow the early identification of issues related to the conceptualization, design, implementation, integration and deployment of tools for support the EU disaster resiliency; which will be facilitated by a complete consultation strategy to the different stakeholders that are expected to act at each capability development phase, ranging from providers to end users. On these grounds H2020-VALKYRIES will develop, integrate and demonstrate capabilities for enabling immediate and coordinated emergency response including search and rescue, security and health, in scenarios of natural/provoked catastrophes with multiple victims, with special application in cases in which several regions or countries are affected and hence greater interoperability being required. H2020-VALKYRIES will propose both design and development of a modular, interoperable, scalable and secure-oriented reference integration, called SIGRUN, which will allow the integration between legacy solutions and new technologies in a framework of harmonized solutions. SIGRUN will be able to deploy services and dynamically adapt its behaviour, as the emergency requires it. A series of demonstration scenarios will be developed placing an emphasis on cross-border and cross-sectorial BLOS (Beyond Line of Sight) scenarios, where the usual communications infrastructure could have been damaged, and emergency response teams are deployed without an accurate view of the operation environment.