The ESL Way: A Cold War Playbook for Modern Defence

Drift Signal #251

In 1964, mathematician William Perry left his job at a major defence contractor to start a company that would revolutionise warfare. His venture, ESL Incorporated, pioneered the digitalisation of signals intelligence by combining commercial computers with classified military needs.

While this story may seem like ancient history, it holds crucial lessons for today's defence technology landscape—particularly in Europe, where the war in Ukraine, started by Russia three years ago, has exposed critical gaps as well as potential breakthroughs in military innovation capabilities.

ESL's approach—bringing together academic research, commercial technology, and defence requirements—created a template for bridging civilian innovation and military needs that remains relevant six decades later. As Europe grapples with building independent defence capabilities in an era of rapid technological change, Perry's forgotten company offers vital insights into procurement reform, institutional adaptation, and…