Equipping the defense systems of the future

Helmet visors, radiocommunication devices, augmented reality systems, night-vision cameras, these are only some of the technological developments forming part of today’s soldier’s equipment. The breakthroughs in these systems have led to substantial improvements in soldiers’ operational capacity, by cutting down not only the physical load but also the cognitive and thermal load.

The European Defense Agency (EDA), true to its aim of supporting the security and defense of the EU’s 27 member states, carries out initiatives and runs programs designed to improve Europe’s defense capability. In 2015, within these soldier systems, EDA launched the first phase of a standardization program, centering on the energy aspect of this equipment.

Under the name STASS II (STandard Architecture for Soldier Systems) the second phase, which kicked off in 2016, is now completing this architecture in terms of data management and the enabling infrastructure.

This EDA-funded project aims to design and implement a generic, open architecture to serve as reference and ensure the interoperability of the soldier systems developed by the member states.

GMV, developing part of the architecture, is also priming a 4-company consortium completed by Rheinmetall Electronics (Germany), Larimart (Leonardo, Italy) and TNO (Netherlands).

Worthy of particular note is the Brussels Industrial Workshop chaired by GMV together with the EDA’s Project Officer, staging a debate on the current state of architecture development and the challenges yet to be met from the industry’s point of view.

Members of the consortium at Madrid´s GMV facilities. In order from left to right: Marcel van der Lee (TNO), Fabrizio Parmeggiani (Larimart), Dr. Norbert Haerle (Rheinmetall Electronics), Mario Sonka (Rheinmetall Electronics), Jose Luis Delgado Gamella (GMV), Vicente Javier de Ayala (GMV).