Rheinmetall-Led FEDERATES Consortium Gains €30 Million EU Funding to Transform European Simulation Resources

Rheinmetall-Led FEDERATES Consortium Gains €30 Million EU Funding to Transform European Simulation Resources

(IN BRIEF) The FEDERATES consortium, led by Rheinmetall, has secured €30 million in funding from the European Union for an innovative training and decision support project. FEDERATES aims to create a “distributed synthetic simulation environment” that connects various simulation resources across EU member states, similar to NATO’s architecture. This initiative will enhance the training and readiness of European armed forces, incorporating advanced technologies like AI, cloud computing, and virtual reality. FEDERATES will also establish a marketplace for simulation resources, resulting in cost savings, improved access to training, and faster development of solutions. The consortium consists of 32 companies from 14 EU member states and Norway, promoting robust European cooperation in the field of simulation and training systems. Rheinmetall Electronics will coordinate the project alongside key partners.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 19-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Rheinmetall AG (ETR: RHM), a German integrated technology group active in the automotive and defence industries, leading the FEDERATES consortium (Federated Ecosystem of European Simulation Assets for Training and Decision Support), is pleased to announce that it has been selected by the European Union to receive €30 million in funding from the European Commission. This significant investment is aimed at implementing a pioneering prototype service-oriented solution for distributed synthetic training and decision support.

A New Era in Simulation Training

The “distributed synthetic simulation environment” envisioned by FEDERATES brings together a diverse range of simulation resources, geographically separated yet interconnected through a shared network infrastructure. The primary objective is to facilitate the collective utilization of the resources of European Union member states within a digitally networked ecosystem, akin to NATO’s Modelling and Simulation as a Service (MSaaS) architecture.

Distributed simulation and training are vital for EU member states, as they prepare and equip their armed forces for modern and complex military operations featuring advanced systems and equipment.

The consortium plans to integrate and collaboratively employ the existing assets of member states, including simulators and training systems, alongside cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and virtual reality, for simulated exercises spanning ground, sea, air, space, and cyberspace operations.

Enhancing Resource Accessibility and Efficiency

FEDERATES is set to facilitate joint procurement and resource consolidation for simulation, creating a new marketplace for corresponding services. This initiative will lead to improved resource availability, reduced construction timelines, cost savings, greater access to training, and expedited development of future solutions.

Comprising 32 companies from 14 EU member states and Norway, FEDERATES represents a robust and comprehensive European collaboration. It includes small and medium-sized enterprises, large corporations, research institutions, and universities. FEDERATES leverages their diverse expertise in simulation and training systems, as well as integration and cooperation with military users.

In its role as coordinator, Rheinmetall Electronics of Germany will provide core support to the FEDERATES project, working alongside partners such as Thales (France), Leonardo (Italy), Indra Sistemas (Spain), and HM EI (Hungary) to ensure adherence to technical and contractual obligations between the European Commission and all participating entities.

This strategic funding initiative underscores the European Union’s commitment to advancing simulation training capabilities and enhancing the readiness of its military forces.

For additional information on the outcomes of the 2022 call for proposals related to the European Defence Fund, please visit: EU Defence Fund Call Results

Disclaimer: This project is being co-financed by the European Union. The content of this press release reflects solely the views of the author; the European Commission assumes no responsibility for subsequent use of the information it contains.

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Fax: +49 211 473-4157

SOURCE: RHEINMETALL AG