Defense`s Feeds

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Delegations

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European Defence Agency (EDA) Chief Executive André Denk travelled to Ukraine this week for his first official visit since taking office, aiming to reinforce defence cooperation and gain insight into the country’s wartime innovations.

In Kyiv, Denk met with high-level Ukrainian officials, including Presidential Adviser Alexander Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin, Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries Davyd Aloian, Deputy Minister of Defence Sergiy Boyev, Deputy Chief of Defence Brigadier General Andrii Lebedenko. The meetings were organised in coordination with the European Commission and the European External Action Service.

Talks centred around Ukraine’s defence priorities and operational needs.

“I am eager to continue exploring how EDA could further support Ukraine based on our current work strands and the existing framework, and the Administrative Arrangement in place with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence since 2015", said Denk.

The visit extended beyond the capital, with André Denk visiting several defence production sites and military facilities, including an operational command post in eastern Ukraine.

“I am highly impressed by Ukraine's Armed Forces' determination and courage as well as by all the bright Ukrainians who innovate and work in support of the soldiers on the frontline,” said Denk.

“Ukraine’s expertise with cutting-edge technologies and defence innovation tested directly on the battlefield are redefining modern warfare and are truly invaluable. There are many lessons we can learn, and closer cooperation can and will leverage both Ukraine’s and EU Member States’ defence capabilities,” he added.

In Eastern Ukraine, Denk met with Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (picture below).

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On 14 July, Denmark - the EU Member State currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union - announced its donation of satellite communication services to Ukraine via the European Defence Agency.

The donation includes solutions that increase Ukraine’s access to secure and stable satellite-based communications, such as receiver terminals that will contribute to the country’s ability to defend itself. These terminals will ensure robust and secure connectivity, which can be crucial for the conduct of military operations. Secure and stable satellite-based communications solutions remain in high demand by Ukraine.

The framework provided by EDA can help diversify satellite communication service usage over Ukraine. Such a donation contributes to promoting both Ukraine’s and Europe’s technological strategic autonomy and freedom of action in space. Satellites play a crucial role in modern defence today. Other EU countries may be considering similar donations.

Read more: https://www.fmn.dk/da/nyheder/2025/danmark-donerer-satellittjenester-til-ukraines-forsvar-gennem-eus-forsvarsagentur  

EDA’s broader role 

Founded in 2004, the Agency helps foster defence cooperation across Europe. It serves as the central hub for EU countries aiming to develop their defence capabilities together. EDA’s activities span from harmonising requirements and developing operational capabilities to research, technology, innovation, training, and supporting Common Security and Defence Policy operations. The agency also works closely with the European defence industry to strengthen Europe’s technological and industrial base. 

Less than two months since his appointment as EDA Chief Executive, André Denk has begun touring Member States to discuss their respective defence priorities and EDA’s pivotal role in serving Member States’ interests, leveraging defence and capability development cooperation in the European Union.   

Earlier this week, Chief Executive Denk visited Sweden and Italy – where he met with the Ministers of Defence of both countries, as well as top national defence authorities.   

Sweden

In Stockholm, he met with Minister of Defence Pål Jonson and with the Chief of Defence, General Michael Claesson. Denk also visited the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV), and the Swedish Armed Forces. Discussions revolved around Sweden’s ongoing priorities and EDA’s concrete support to Member States in innovation, capability development, and joint procurement. 

Italy

In Rome, he met with Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto, National Armaments Director Admiral Giacinto Ottaviani, Chief of Defence General Luciano Portolano, and Deputy Chief of Defence General Del Bene. Discussions focused on reinforcing cooperation in defence, aligning industrial and technological priorities, and advancing European strategic autonomy.  

During his trip to Rome, Denk also presented the results of the first-ever Operational Experimentation (OPEX) campaign dedicated to unmanned systems – i.e. UAVs and UGVs - for cross-domain logistics at the Italian Army's multifunctional experimentation centre, CEPOLISPE. 

EDA's Chief Executive will travel to other Member States in the coming weeks.

General Michael Claesson, Sweden's Chief of Defence

General Carl-Johan Edström, Sweden's Chief of the Defence Staff

Guido Crosetto, Italian Minister of Defence - and his delegation

 

Admiral Giacinto Ottaviani, Italy's National Armaments Director

Main photo: Guido Crosetto, Italy's Defence Minister; Pål Jonson, Sweden's Defence Minister

EDA’s broader role 

Founded in 2004, the Agency helps foster defence cooperation across Europe. It serves as the central hub for EU countries aiming to develop their defence capabilities together. EDA’s activities span from harmonising requirements and developing operational capabilities to research, technology, innovation, training, and supporting Common Security and Defence Policy operations. The agency also works closely with the European defence industry to strengthen Europe’s technological and industrial base.

On 3 July 2025, six European defence companies gathered near Rome to demonstrate unmanned aerial and ground systems as part of the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) first-ever European Defence Innovation Operational Experimentation (OPEX) campaign. The live demonstration took place under the umbrella of the Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI), at the Italian Army’s Multifunctional Experimentation Centre (CEPOLISPE) in Montelibretti, Italy.

Crucially, this marks the first operational experimentation coordinated at EU level. While similar initiatives have taken place nationally, OPEX introduces a new model of cross-border collaboration among Member States.

"Security, warfare, and technology are changing at an accelerating pace. The war in Ukraine reshaped our understanding of defence innovation, compressing years of development into weeks through rapid prototyping, adaptability, and tight collaboration among armed forces, engineers, and civilians. So, defence innovation is no longer optional, nor a long-term ambition,” said André Denk, EDA’s Chief Executive, during the Distinguished Visitors’ Day. “Accelerating innovation from the lab to the field is our ticket to operational relevance.”

The OPEX campaign embodies HEDI’s ambition to bridge the gap between promising innovation and real-world military capability. By testing unmanned aerial and ground systems in realistic operational conditions, OPEX offers a way for Member States, industry and end-users to jointly test, evaluate and refine technologies. That helps to overcome the “valley of death” where innovations often fail to reach operational use.

Unlike traditional demonstrations, OPEX reflects a shift toward experimentation as a strategic tool. It generates critical insights into operational concepts, training requirements and interoperability challenges — supporting long-term defence planning. From autonomous systems and drones to electronic interference platforms, the campaign reflects EDA’s commitment to accelerating the uptake of emerging capabilities.

Weeks of field testing

The campaign unfolded in several phases of increasing complexity, from the evaluation of individual systems to fully integrated, cross-domain operations using unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) and unmanned ground systems (UGVs). The six companies — Portugal’s BEYOND VISION, ALTUS LSA of Greece, Austria’s SCHIEBEL, ALYSIS of Spain, PIAP of Poland and Germany’s ARX ROBOTICS — carried out simulations of coordinated tactical missions, focused on autonomous logistics under conditions closely mirroring real-life scenarios.

The final phase of the campaign tested these systems further in demanding, multi-domain environments, providing insight into how advanced technologies can be integrated into future military operations and force structures.

The Distinguished Visitors’ Day event brought together high-level representatives, including EDA's Denk, Director of CEPOLISPE Brigadier General Pierpaolo Dotoli, Italian National Armaments Director (NAD) Admiral Giacinto Ottaviani, and Italy's Deputy NAD Luisa Riccardi. EDA’s Director for Research, Technology and Innovation, Nathalie Guichard outlined HEDI’s mission to accelerate defence innovation across the EU.

OPEX campaigns will become a multi-annual effort under HEDI. Future editions, hosted by various Member States, will expand in scope and complexity, covering a wider range of emerging technologies. They will feed directly into EU defence planning, helping ensure that innovation is translated more rapidly and effectively into operational capability.

The OPEX support team is a consortium led by French company EXTENSEE. It helped in the design and execution of the OPEX campaign in collaboration with EDA and the Italian authorities.

EDA awarded contracts across six specialised categories, following a competitive procurement process launched in July 2024:

• Low-Cost Attritable UAS – BEYOND VISION (Portugal) 
• Vertical Take-Off and Launch (VTOL) UAS – ALTUS LSA (Greece) 
• Heavy Lift VTOL UAS – SCHIEBEL (Austria) 
• Low-Cost Attritable UGS – ALYSIS (Spain) 
• Medium Wheeled Logistical UGS – PIAP (Poland)
• Medium Tracked Logistical UGS – ARX ROBOTICS (Germany) 

EDA’s broader role 

Founded in 2004, the Agency helps foster defence cooperation across Europe. It serves as the central hub for EU countries aiming to develop their defence capabilities together. EDA’s activities span from harmonising requirements and developing operational capabilities to research, technology, innovation, training, and supporting Common Security and Defence Policy operations. The agency also works closely with the European defence industry to strengthen Europe’s technological and industrial base. 

On 30 June 2025, the European Defence Agency (EDA) signed the contract for the LEO2VLEO project to develop and deploy a constellation of military defence satellites capable of manoeuvring between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO).

The €10 million contract was signed at the EDA headquarters by Chief Executive André Denk and Jeroen Rotteveel, CEO of ISISPACE, who leads the industrial consortium.  

Co-funded by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence and the Austrian Armed Forces, the project will design, develop, build, launch, and operate a constellation of three 16U satellites. The launch is planned within two years, marking a significant leap in European defence space capability.  

Chief Executive Denk said: “LEO2VLEO is not just a demonstration of technology but a testament to our ability to work through multinational cooperation. We are proud to support this pioneering effort that will strengthen the EU’s resilience and readiness in space, an increasingly contested domain.”

ISISPACE CEO Rotteveel said: “It is encouraging to see this project gaining momentum, as it is a crucial step towards developing the space systems necessary for ensuring Europe's safety. Together with our consortium partners, we are confident in our ability to quickly deliver the functionalities required by the Dutch and Austrian Ministries of Defence.”

Earth observation, minimal debris

For EDA and its Capability Technology Area (CapTech) Space, the project represents an achievement in defence research and technology (R&T). It will be the first known European military satellite constellation capable of transitioning between LEO and VLEO – a manoeuvre that enables greater flexibility, higher-resolution imaging, and enhanced responsiveness during crisis operations.

The LEO2VLEO satellites will provide proof of concept and in-orbit demonstration of defence applications, addressing Europe's urgent need for sovereign, rapid-response space assets. Using VLEO offers several strategic advantages, including improved communications, agility, and Earth observation capabilities, while minimising space debris risk.

This novel approach uses off-the-shelf components combined with extensive R&T to accelerate operational readiness. The project also foresees the inclusion of payloads for Earth observation and navigational warfare – both critical in today’s security environment.

EDA’s Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI) supported the initiative through a preliminary study based on its 2023 proof-of-concept framework. This early investment by HEDI has helped pave the way for the current demonstrator phase.

In addition to demonstrating in-orbit performance, the project includes pre-operational capability development, laying the foundation for a future fully operational military satellite system. If successful, LEO2VLEO will set the stage for enhanced autonomy and resilience in European defence missions.

The project brings together a consortium of European innovators, comprising: 

• ISISPACE Group (Lead)  
• Dawn Aerospace Nederland B.V.
• Fantana Defence and Space GmbH
• ASA Astrosysteme GmbH
• Graz University of Technology 
• Beyond Gravity Austria GmbH
• Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH