Ferrol (A Coruña, Spain). Navantia hosted the sixth and final General Assembly of the EDINAF (European Digital Naval Foundation) project, a strategic initiative funded by the European Defence Fund (EDF) that has defined the digital architecture to be integrated into future European military vessels.
The three-day meeting concluded on November 27 at Navantia’s COEX Digital Twin facilities in Ferrol, a centre of excellence dedicated to designing digital twins and part of the COEX Network, which drives the company’s innovation strategy.
The event brought together representatives from the technology industry, multilateral organisations and European defence companies, including Naval Group, Fincantieri, Damen, SAAB, Kongsberg, Thales, Leonardo, Indra and AERTEC. Delegates from the European Commission, academic and institutional authorities, as well as fifteen representatives from the seven European navies involved in the project also attended.
The General Assembly marked the culmination of three years of collaborative work to define an integrated digital platform that enhances naval interoperability, automation and NATO-standard compliance, while reducing costs and crew requirements on board.
“EDINAF represents a technological leap for European naval defence,” emphasised Ana Moya, Navantia’s Director of Technology and Digital Transformation. “This digital architecture will enable the progressive integration of advanced capabilities, ensure operational resilience even in critical scenarios, and accelerate collaboration among allies to strengthen European strategic sovereignty,” she concluded.
Real-time Simulation
During the meeting, a technical demonstration showcased how a digital vessel connected with its naval base through on-board and shore platforms to carry out a real mission.
The exercise involved planning the operation and deploying the unmanned surface vehicle (USV) Poniente to inspect a suspicious vessel in the Ferrol estuary, integrating sensors, combat systems and logistics solutions in real time. Simultaneously, the platform was subjected to a cyberattack that tested the resilience of the operation and its ability to recover from critical failures.
The objective was to assess how the digital architecture supports decision-making, anticipates risks and optimises resources in evolving asymmetric scenarios.
A Key Project for the Digitalisation of European Naval Defence
EDINAF is one of the most ambitious projects under the European Defence Fund. Led by Navantia, it brings together 31 partners from eight countries: Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, with guidance from seven European Ministries of Defence.
The project focuses on interoperability among European systems to ensure seamless operation without technological friction, cybersecurity against increasingly sophisticated threats, and connectivity with the naval combat cloud – a cornerstone for collaborative defence.
This meeting also outlined the next steps to consolidate the digital architecture, enabling future European frigates, corvettes, submarines and auxiliary vessels to share a common technological framework that reduces costs and development times, enhances sector competitiveness and strengthens European strategic sovereignty.
The Assembly concluded with the presentation of the roadmap to implement the project’s findings and set milestones for 2026.
