Universities and research organizations together with SMEs and strategic defense and security industries are called to collaborate on a shared project to develop the theme of "struggle in the underwater domain with the help of marine robotics" through workshops and meetings opened last week. and destined to come alive during Seafuture 2018, thanks to the Navy in collaboration with the General Secretariat of Defense and the organization of the same event.
Last week, the two-day introductory workshop (17 and 18 April) was held at the Navy Officers' Club in Rome, moderated by Riccardo Damiani of Phil Taylor Consultants, Bologna.
The first day of work saw the Marine General Staff provide an overview of the conduct of antisom operations and mine countermeasures (ASW / MCM), with an innovative and multidisciplinary 'vision' on the development of the specialties involved and related threats at basin of the Mare Nostrum and worldwide in the short, medium and long term spreading on the whole issue the leimotiv of the moment: unmanned systems, unmanned or autonomous precisely, and the use of artificial intelligence. The day ended with a preliminary analysis of the main challenges to be faced, which involved all the participants.
The second day, thanks to an adaptive approach of the coordination process between the different realities present, has allowed, in an innovative way and with the help of a professional moderator able to quickly capture the specific needs of the context, the enhancement of the ability to do common network and work methodically. Thanks to this system it was possible to exploit the limited time available, compared to the power of the issue, allowing to combine the excellences of the various partners with more specific aspects of the main challenges to be faced.
In the foreground, the interest to participate and the awareness of being able to contribute to the growth of a 'national sovereignty' in the development of concepts applicable to a unified vision of defense in the 'underwater domain', and in the design and testing of systems, particularly in field of autonomous and semi-autonomous means (airplanes, divers and surface), designed to support this vision.
This process will be developed in the following weeks to end the 21 and 22 June during the Seafuture 2018, at the Naval Base of La Spezia. During this event, the workshop will instead focus on the discussion of the contents expressed by the various partners on the basis of the indications from the first meeting and deepened during the bridge period towards the La Spezia phase, also taking into account the possible scenarios offered by the international experiences, in particular those in EDA / NATO. Therefore, the objectives and timing of the next meeting will be identified to continue the joint growth project. This will also contribute to the advanced bilateral meetings between companies and foreign military navies and the busy schedule of conferences scheduled for the sixth edition of Seafuture which will take place from 19 to 23 June.
The aim is to maintain a high level of international competitiveness by working together in a Country System that efficiently collaborates with public and private structures, political, economic, scientific and cultural enterprises and institutions. Growth can only take place with an integrated and continuous approach, especially in the context of the European Defense Research Program for the 2021-2027 period and, given the importance of the theme, also in emerging opportunities in other European and national financing sectors.
