In a significant step for European defence collaboration, the European Defence Agency (EDA) has conducted its first-ever Operational Experimentation (OPEX) campaign. The event, held at the Italian Army’s Multifunctional Experimentation Centre (CEPOLISPE) near Rome, brought together six European defence companies to test unmanned aerial and ground systems (UAVs and UGVs) under realistic conditions.
This landmark initiative, coordinated under the Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI), represents the first time such operational testing has been managed at an EU-wide level, moving beyond national programs to foster cross-border cooperation.
André Denk, EDA’s Chief Executive, emphasized the urgency of this new approach, stating that the conflict in Ukraine has fundamentally accelerated the need for defence innovation. He noted that rapid prototyping and close collaboration are now essential, making innovation a immediate necessity rather than a long-term goal.
The OPEX campaign is designed to bridge the notorious “valley of death,” where promising technologies often fail to transition into practical military use. By providing a platform for member states, industry, and end-users to jointly test and refine technologies in the field, the campaign aims to ensure innovations achieve operational relevance.
Over several weeks, the trials progressed through phases of increasing complexity, culminating in integrated, cross-domain missions. The participating companies—BEYOND VISION (Portugal), ALTUS LSA (Greece), SCHIEBEL (Austria), ALYSIS (Spain), PIAP (Poland), and ARX ROBOTICS (Germany)—simulated coordinated tactical missions, with a focus on autonomous logistics.
The OPEX campaign is set to become a recurring, multi-annual effort under HEDI. Future editions, hosted by different member states, will expand in scope and complexity, directly feeding into EU defence planning to ensure cutting-edge technologies are rapidly transformed into tangible operational capabilities for European forces.
