On June 23 and 24, 2025, the European Defence Agency (EDA) hosted the pivotal workshop “Advanced Simulation and Computing for Drone Swarm Operations” in Brussels. The event brought together key stakeholders from the defence industry, national defence industry associations (NDIAs), and the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). Representatives from the European Commission were also in attendance, providing insights into their current initiatives relevant to the defence industry.
Key Highlights from the Workshop
- Institutional Updates from EDA, DG DEFIS, and EEAS, in terms of capability development, armament procurement, research, technology, innovation, and security of supply.
- Key strategic discussions: industry representatives talked about critical strategic themes, including ramping up production volumes and enhancing supply chain resilience.
21strategies presentation: AI-Driven Simulation for Real-Time Coordination in Naval Drone Swarm Operations
Christoph Mannel from 21strategies delivered a compelling presentation on the emergent behavior of artificial intelligence, which garnered significant interest from the attendees. His talk highlighted the transformative potential of Third Wave AI that 21strategies is bringing to the defense sector.
The presentation covered:
- Strategic Advantages: AI autonomously develops complex, adaptive tactics for real-time coordination of multi-domain drone swarms e.g. in naval combat, enabled by sophisticated reinforcement learning in Defense Metaverse.
- Emergent AI Behaviors: significantly enhanced swarm effectiveness and efficiency through optimized target sequencing and adaptive coordination.
- Improved Operational Outcomes: AI-driven tactics manage uncertainties, and increase mission success rates compared to traditional approaches.
- Strategic Advantages: Provides strategic advantages for real-world deployments and addresses current and future defense challenges.
- Essential Role of AI-enabled Simulation: Preparing and executing successful multi-domain drone swarm operations.
Conclusion
The EDA workshop on June 23 and 24, 2025, was another significant step towards shaping the future of European defence industry. It fostered dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders,
highlighting the importance of innovation and strategic partnerships in addressing current and future defence challenges.
For more information on EDA and its initiatives, visit the European Defence Agency website.
