ATEF Safadi / EPA
The project that aims to reinforce the defense of the European Union through a new missile system will feature artificial intelligence (AI) developed by the Portuguese company Critical Software.
At a time when the missiles and the threats that come from there are in the order of the day, the Critical Software will be at the front line of the European Defense.
The Portuguese company, based in Coimbra, is part of a consortium of 26 entities, which make the Beast Project (Boosting European Advanced Missile System Technologies).
To Lusa, the Portuguese technology clarified that its contribution aims to design “an automatic learning operations platform with the objective of automating the implementation of AI models in the main software of the missile system”.
“This platform seeks to simplify workflows, reduce human errors and accelerate the development and updating of AI -based components,” he said.
Portugal innovates in defense
João Pedro Mortáguathe company’s Business Development Director, explained that the intervention of Critical Software goes through incorporate artificial intelligence into missiles – through machine learning (where systems learn through data analysis and standard identification) – which a novelty in the defense area.
O current geopolitical and conflict context at the gates of Western Europe worry, but, according to the director of critical software, it has been very favorable to investment in technological innovation and the development of European defense systems.
Given potential threats such as fifth and sixth generation combat planes, non -manned air devices (drones), electronic war or cruise missiles, the expert advocated the need for the European continent to be prepared to respond.
“The threat is pressing and there is a huge increase in demandboth of innovation and investment. The Beast project comes in this logic of working together with European countries, in advanced, interperoper, model, and rapidly developing defense systems that can provide Europe with greater defense capacity, ”explained João Pedro Mortágua.
And then there is “ethics”…
In the one that is, to date, the largest project in the area of military defense in which the Portuguese technology participates, João Pedro Mortágua made a point of underlining the “Code of Ethics quite strict” existing in the company.
The development of a system that may allow the capabilities of missiles “to be more innovative and with greater autonomy”, raises, according to the expert, aerospace engineer of training, ethics and security issues of the populations that will have to be observed.
“All this has to be very well cautious to ensure that, in fact, there are no risks here for populations. Obviously the issue of security and reliability requirements has to be guaranteed. Therefore, our role is of great innovation, but also of great rigor,” emphasized João Pedro Mortágua.
“We are on the good side, that is, who defends. For us the defense is, in fact, defense, it is not to create tools or provide member countries or states [da UE] with ways to kill people indiscriminately. On the contrary, it is defending populations, it is to save human lives. And therefore, this project is very much in this logic of the defense of European citizens and nothing to promote attacks or deaths, ”he said.
O Project should start in the last quarter of this year And it has a three -year development horizon until the end of 2028.
Critical Software is present in the market with technological solutions in, from aviation to spatial exploitation, through the financial sector, transport, energy or health, among others.
