The latest European Defence Matters magazine (N°16) is now available with a special focus on unmanned and autonomous systems in defence.
They are omnipresent in our daily lives and their potential keeps growing: smart machines and applications able to autonomously carry out tasks hitherto reserved to humans - from cutting grass to cleaning floors and driving cars. Certain autonomous functionalities have already made their way into the military domain where their possibilities are immense.
The question is thus not IF unmanned and autonomous platforms will become key components of our defence toolboxes, but HOW Member States, armed forces and industry decide to prepare for what could be a technological, potentially disruptive step change for defence.
In this new edition of European Defence Matters, which also served as a basis for the debate at this year’s EDA Annual Conference (29 November 2018) on “From Unmanned to Autonomous Systems: trends, challenges and opportunities”, we look at the extent to which unmanned and autonomous applications are already used in the various military domains (land, air, maritime, space, cyber) and what their main challenges and opportunities are, now and in the future.
We also touch upon EDA’s work supporting Member States and industry in this new domain, from research to capability development.
The industrial, regulatory and military/operational viewpoints are also represented through a series of interviews, notably with Eric Trappier (Dassault Aviation CEO), Patrick Ky (EASA Executive Director) and General Graziano (EUMC Chair).
CARD, Defence Innovation Prize, EMACC
Besides the comprehensive cover story on unmanned and autonomous systems, the magazine also analyses the outcome of the 2017-2018 trial run of the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), reveals the 2018 winners of the first EDA Defence Innovation Prize, presents the new edition of European Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria Handbook and looks back at last September’s First European Air-to-Air Refuelling Conference held in Brussels.
Enyoy your reading!
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