LA DÉFENSE — In response to the evolving threat landscape characterized by increasingly sophisticated weaponry, the European Defence Fund (EDF) is backing the European Union’s STORE collaborative project. This initiative aims to expedite the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and a shared database into imaging systems for land forces. As modern threats such as hypersonic missiles and combat drones pose unprecedented challenges, the significance of optronic sensors in delivering superior performance on the battlefield has surged. The STORE project endeavors to establish Europe’s first scalable database of defense imagery, fostering innovation in threat detection algorithms and addressing crucial issues of data governance and cost-effective development of sovereign technologies. By amalgamating optronic sensors with AI-based analysis techniques, STORE seeks to revolutionize warfighters’ battlefield perception, augmenting their tactical situational awareness and enabling swifter reactions to threats, thereby enhancing survivability, according to a press release published on EuropaWire.
BenoĂ®t Plantier, Vice-president of Optronics and Missile Electronics activity at Thales, expressed pride in Thales’ role as the lead coordinator of the STORE project, supported by a network of esteemed partners across Europe. Leveraging Thales’ extensive experience and expertise in optronics and artificial intelligence, the project aims to empower land forces with enhanced perception capabilities, thus securing tactical superiority in combat scenarios. The STORE project, funded by the European Union, represents a collaborative effort to bolster Europe’s defense capabilities and ensure the safety and security of its citizens.
Key details of the project include its duration of 36 months, with an estimated total cost of 23.3 million euros. Notable partners involved in the project include Thales France (Coordinator), Safran E&D, ONERA, Leonardo, and several other prominent industrial and academic entities from across Europe. Thales, drawing upon its experience from the SCORPION program and expertise in managing large-scale collaborative projects, is well-positioned to lead the STORE project and facilitate synergies among industry players and academic institutions.
