An indicative list of National and European Research projects follows:
CURRENT PROJECTS
EDIDP 2019 LOTUS – Low Observable Tactical Unmanned Air System
The LOTUS project addresses the feasibility, detailed design, prototyping and testing of a low-observable, airworthy and interoperable Tactical Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (TRPAS) targeted at ISR missions. This project aims at addressing an important need of EU Member States which is the capability of TRPAS to operate in contested environments, which is clearly expressed in the Common Operational Requirements agreed upon by the Hellenic, Cypriot and Dutch MoDs who support the project.
The development will include: a mothership TRPAS equipped with ISR sensors, designed for low observability and high endurance, incorporating a self-protection system against enemy threats; a system of tube-launched, foldable-wing drones, deployable from the mothership, while this later remains at a safe distance; on-board sensor data processing capabilities for target detection, recognition, identification and classification; and a ground station which will be designed by the “security-by-design” principles.
The LOTUS has received funding from the European Union’s European Defence Industrial Development Programme under Grant Agreement No. EDIDP-ISR-TRPAS-2019-030 and the MoDs of Greece and Cyprus. The LOTUS consortium is led by IDE (coordinator) and consists of 11 partners from Greece (IDE, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, ALTUS, CFT, University of Patras and Hellenic Air Force Telecommunications-Electronic Means Plant), Cyprus (SignalGenerix, Cyric, Geoimaging), Spain (Embention) and Holland (RHEA).
EDIDP 2019 LOTUS – Low Observable Tactical Unmanned Air System
The LOTUS project addresses the feasibility, detailed design, prototyping and testing of a low-observable, airworthy and interoperable Tactical Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (TRPAS) targeted at ISR missions. This project aims at addressing an important need of EU Member States which is the capability of TRPAS to operate in contested environments, which is clearly expressed in the Common Operational Requirements agreed upon by the Hellenic, Cypriot and Dutch MoDs who support the project.
The development will include: a mothership TRPAS equipped with ISR sensors, designed for low observability and high endurance, incorporating a self-protection system against enemy threats; a system of tube-launched, foldable-wing drones, deployable from the mothership, while this later remains at a safe distance; on-board sensor data processing capabilities for target detection, recognition, identification and classification; and a ground station which will be designed by the “security-by-design” principles.
The LOTUS has received funding from the European Union’s European Defence Industrial Development Programme under Grant Agreement No. EDIDP-ISR-TRPAS-2019-030 and the MoDs of Greece and Cyprus. The LOTUS consortium is led by IDE (coordinator) and consists of 11 partners from Greece (IDE, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, ALTUS, CFT, University of Patras and Hellenic Air Force Telecommunications-Electronic Means Plant), Cyprus (SignalGenerix, Cyric, Geoimaging), Spain (Embention) and Holland (RHEA).
EDIDP 2019 SMOTANET – Development of Software Defined Mobile Ad-hoc Tactical Network Devices and Testbed
The objectives of the SMOTANET project are to design a modular, adaptive and secure tactical network. To achieve this, the SMOTANET project will: (i) Design tactical devices that integrate three different technologies, namely, Software Defined Radio (SDR), Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANET) and Software Defined Networks (SDN) and (ii) Develop testbeds based on the aforementioned devices that will be used to test and evaluate operational scenarios and the corresponding technical solutions according to well defined metrics.
The Studies will deliver operational scenarios and technical requirements in cooperation with the Greek and Cypriot MoDs. The Design Activities will deliver the design specifications of the controller and the switch as well as a testbed that can evaluate the performance of relative networks under realistic conditions. Specifically, the testbeds will realize representative tactical scenarios, they will implement controller-to-controller, controller-to-switch and switch-to-switch links and will ultimately unite them in a holistic network-wide network control architecture managed by SDN controllers.
The SMOTANET project has received funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under Grant Agreement No. EDIDP-CSAMN-SDN-2019-038-SMOTANET. The SMOTANET consortium, which is led by IDE (coordinator), consists of 5 partners from Greece (IDE, Gridnet, Athens University of Economics and Business), Cyprus (SignalGenerix) and Poland (ITTi).
EDF 2021 NOMAD - NOvel energy storage technologies usable at MilitAry Deployments in forward operating bases
IDE participates in the EDF project “NOvel energy storage technologies usable at MilitAry Deployments in forward operating bases” (NOMAD). NOMAD will build a collaborative framework among European industries, R&D organisations and relevant stakeholders in order to promote and support the development and operational validation of European energy storage and associated technologies, from feasibility studies to validation in relevant environments.
The NOMAD consortium, led by EQUIPOS MÓVILES DE CAMPAÑA ARPA S.A.U., consists of 19 partners from 10 EU Member States.
IDE studies and designs critical modules of the NOMAD system; leads the work package “Technology Demonstration”, while IDE is responsible for one NOMAD Technology Demonstrator.
EDF 2021 INDY - Energy Independent and Efficient Deployable Military Camps
IDE participates in the EDF project “Energy Independent and Efficient Deployable Military Camps” (INDY). INDY aims at developing a strategic roadmap towards the future energy independent and efficient deployable military camps, based on a paradigm shift for energy production, conversion, storage, transport, distribution and final usage. The project is building on military and civilian EU and national projects.
The INDY consortium, led by TECES Green Tech Cluster, consists of 20 partners from 11 EU Member States and associated Countries.
IDE contributes to the study activities for “INDY” Energy Storage, Microgrid and Intelligent Power Distribution concepts, based on its fielded experience in Hybrid Power Systems.
EDF 2021 COMMANDS - Convoy Operations with Manned-unManneD Systems
IDE participates in the EDF project “Convoy Operations with Manned-unManneD Systems” (COMMANDS). COMMANDS aims at developing Through Life Capabilities (TLC) for agile, intelligent and cooperative manned and unmanned land systems. The results will not only enable to upgrade current ground vehicles of the EU inventory for specific missions, but also to be integrated in future vehicles in development.
The COMMANDS consortium, led by SENER AEROSPACE, consists of 21 partners from 10 EU Member States. IDE develops the COMMANDS MANET communication network.
EDF 2021 EPC - European Patrol Corvette
IDE participates in the EDF project “European Patrol Corvette” (EPC) (selected for funding). EPC will focus on the initial phase of a European innovative, modular, flexible, interoperable, green, multirole vessel, enabling the European navies to face the 21st century challenges.
The project EPC will focus on conceptual studies up to the initial design, and use as a reference corvette class vessel which can fulfil a wide range of missions in future contexts of operations. The produced design will be modular and flexible, more energy-efficient, greener, safer, more interoperable and cyber-secured.
The EPC consortium, led by NAVIRIS, consists of 40 entities from 12 EU Member StatesIDE contributes to study activities on the EPC MANET radiosystem and interoperability aspects of Unmanned Sea Vehicles’ communications.
EDF 2021 5G COMPAD - 5G Communications for Peacekeeping And Defense
IDE participates in the EDF project “5G Communications for Peacekeeping And Defense” (5G COMPAD). 5G COMPAD will design, prototype and test a reference architecture for a 5G based robust and resilient multidimensional communications system to demonstrate operational capabilities of 5G integrated in selected defence platforms and systems. It will develop new and improved functionalities and improve the lifecycle cost. As a result the project will enable enhanced operational capabilities.
The 5G COMPAD consortium, led by Saab, consists of 19 partners from 12 EU Member States. IDE mainly contributes to study, design, prototyping and testing activities on 5G COMPAD Secure Framework Requirements and on 5G COMPAD Military Dependability Requirements.
EDF 2021 dTHOR - Digital Ship Structural Health Monitoring
IDE participates in the EDF project “Digital Ship Structural Health Monitoring” (dTHOR). dTHOR will develop a system based on innovative utilization of large amounts of load and response measurements from robust and advanced sensors, a digital framework complying with recognised open standards for data exchange, and hybrid analysis and modelling, which combines physics-based and data-driven models. dTHOR will consolidate end-users’ military operational requirements based on improved battle damage and structural integrity assessment, reduced hydro-acoustic signatures, and more accurate operation of weapon systems.
The dTHOR consortium, led by SINTEF AS, consists of 35 partners from 11 EU Member States. IDE contributes to study and design activities for a reliable and secure Physical Data link of the dTHOR system.
EDIDP 2020 ODIN’S EYE – Multinational Development Initiative for a Space-based Missile Early-warning Architecture
IDE participates in the ODIN’S EYE project, led by OHB System AG, a subsidiary of space and technology group OHB SE.
ODIN’s EYE targets the development of an autonomous European Space Based Missile Early Warning (SBMEW) system, to create situational threat awareness against ballistic and novel hypersonic threats.
IDE contributes with state of the art technologies in Secure Communications and Cybersecurity frameworks applicable in the demanding field of the critical satellite systems.
The ODIN’s EYE consortium consists of 34 partners from 12 EU Member States. This project has received funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under Grant Agreement No. EDIDP-SSAEW-EW-2020-049-ODIN’s EYE.
EDIDP 2020 e-COLORSS – European Common Long Range Indirect Fire Support System
IDE participates in the e-COLORSS project, led by GMV AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE SA.
The project “e-COLORSS” proposes a significant step forward for European long-range artillery through an 155 mm cannon and a European rocket launcher. The vehicle will be based on a hybrid truck mounted platform, ensuring very fast ammunition and charges resupply, and an interoperable, robust and secured communication system. The e-COLORSS consortium consists of 16 partners from 10 EU Member States.
IDE contributes to hybrid power solutions studies for the e-COLORSS. This project has received funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under Grant Agreement No. EDIDP-NGPSC-LRIF-2020-110-ECOLORSS.
Horizon 2020 – HERMES
IDE participates in the HORIZON2020 project HERMES (High Efficiency wiReless CMOS transceiver boosted by artificial intelligencE for 6G bandS and beyond). The project focus on sub-THz frequencies and breaks new ground in the conversion of information from digital to THz, using European CMOS technology, to develop a highly integrated transceiver. The project will produce a chipset of a low-cost radio that exchanges tens of Gbps and will test it in use cases of unmanned vehicles operated by civil authorities.
The HERMES project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 964246.
EDA CAT B - ACHILLES
IDE participates in the EDA CAT B project “AUTONOMOUS, RECONFIGURABLE SWARMS OF UNMANNED VEHICLES FOR DEFENSE APPLICATIONS [ACHILLES]”. Autonomous swarms of unmanned systems could allow in the future performing complex functions more efficiently and effectively. The objectives of the ACHILLES project are:
a) to pursue a step forward toward the introduction of unmanned swarms for defence applications by increasing the TRL of autonomous, reconfigurable swarms of unmanned vehicle for specific defence missions (i.e. persistent monitoring of theatre of operations) and
b) to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of autonomous, reconfigurable swarms of UXVs for persistent monitoring in defence scenarios up to a TRL of 5.
IDE is involved in the conceptual Design of the radio communication systems for the operation of swarms of UAVs.
Agile 4.0
IDE participates in The
Agile 4.0 Cluster. Agile 4.0 is an enhanced Digital Innovation Hub for Agile Manufacturing of the Future, which brings together 14 leading partners in the field of Industry from all over Greece.
Agile 4.0 Cluster’s vision is the digitization of industry and the flexibility of production, through the combination of Research and Development with state-of-the art solutions, whereas its main mission is to create an integrated ecosystem with services to support agile production within Industry 4.0. Guided by the innovation of new technologies in the field of Industry 4.0 and more specifically of flexible production, the cluster will cover scientific areas, not only in technologies that are already widely available in the market, but also in new technological areas such as cooperative robotic systems and AGVs, predictive maintenance of machines and tools, Internet-of-Things platforms, Augmented and Virtual Reality Solutions for industrial environments, 3D printing solutions, etc. IDE within the Agile 4.0 Cluster brings state-of-the art solutions in the security and cybersecurity area. The Agile 4.0 is being funded by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI).