Mission and Vision:

Vision

To establish Europe as a global leader in trusted and sovereign digital technologies for the defence and space sectors. The working group will draw together and strengthen an ecosystem that leverages AI, IoT, and the Edge Continuum to ensure Europe's strategic autonomy and security through cutting-edge, interoperable and resilient solutions.​

Mission

The mission is to accelerate Europe's digital transformation in defence and space by driving collaborative research, innovation and policy development. The group will unite key stakeholders to build a robust innovation ecosystem, promoting the adoption of secure IoT, AI and edge computing technologies to enhance the competitiveness and capabilities of European industry while upholding European values.

Scope:

Defence, space, cybersecurity, ICT supply chain security, communication and connectivity, vulnerabilities, threats

Objectives:

Identify common industry positions, promoting a stronger and more coherent European defence and space technological and industrial base.

Provide independent expert recommendations on defence and space technology to the key decision makers in Europe.

Facilitate cooperation with national associations and support technological innovation and skills in the defence and space sector.

Bring together defence manufacturers, research organisations and innovators with the aim of fostering cooperation among stakeholders.

Promote collaborative programmes and projects, easing market fragmentation, and provide strategic input on industrial policy and funding instruments.

Improve awareness of funding opportunities, supporting cross border industrial projects, and representing industry interests in EU capability and industrial-policy debates.

Support innovation and uptake of advanced and dual use technologies.

Topics covered by the group:

  • Rasing the profile of the strengths of the Defence and Space industry and Academia
  • Cohering the ecosystem
  • Mapping of vulnerabilities and threats and in particular, ICT supply chain security and vulnerabilities
  • Defence industrial base in Europe (manufacturing capability)
  • Reshoring and re-industrialisation of European manufacturing base (including semiconductor industry) and growing European manufacturing capabilities
  • Research and Innovation
  • Infrastructure and logistics

Collaborations:

DG DEFIS, European Space Agency (ESA), European Defence Agency (EDA), ENISA, INSIDE, 6G IA, QuICK, TechWorks, Connect Europe

Leadership:

Chair:  Julie McCann (Imperial College)

Co-Chair: Tanya Suarez (BluSpecs)

Deliverables: