The Patria-led European defence industry consortium AI-WASP, which consists of 16 leading defence companies, has been selected by the European Commission (EC) to receive nearly EUR 45 million in funding. This grant is part of the EDF 2024 funding round that allocated nearly EUR 1 billion to collaborative European defence research and development. Spinverse helped prepare the successful proposal and will support Patria and the consortium in the project’s day-to-day management.
On 30 April 2025, the EC announced the awarded projects from the European Defence Fund 2024 round of calls. The “Artificial Intelligence Warfare Adaptive Swarm Platform” (AI-WASP) aims to provide multifunctional solutions for electromagnetic spectrum operations in future electronic warfare (EW). The project aims to develop a pioneering solution of AI-based multifunctional aperture and transceiver (AIMA). The outcome of the project will be a prototype of two different system variants that are to be integrated to small- and mid-sized uncrewed aerial systems and ground vehicles or stations.
Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, Greece and Spain have thrown their weight behind the programme, signing a Letter of Intent to join the development of the AI-powered warfare adaptive swarm platform. They will also provide national funding on top of the EUR 45 million backing by the European Commission. Led by Patria, the powerhouse consortium unites 16 cutting-edge defence innovators from across Europe — including key players from France, Germany and Lithuania.
Supporting Patria in programme’s day-to-day management
Spinverse participated to the project’s preparation phase and will support Coordinator Patria and the consortium in the project’s day-to-day management.
“We are very pleased to receive the news on a positive funding decision for AI-WASP. The innovation cycle for defence technologies is becoming faster and shorter, and the European security landscape requires novel solutions also in the information superiority and electronic warfare domain. This consortium combines critical European expertise with a resolve to modernise information and electronic warfare,” says Anu Ilmonen, Director and Team Leader for the Defence and Security team at Spinverse.
Senior Project Manager Saija Juslén of the Defence and Security team led the proposal preparation process at Spinverse.
“It was a great pleasure to work with the AI-WASP consortium at the proposal preparation stage, with some of the top experts of European defence industry in the electronic warfare and information security technologies domain. We are very happy about the positive funding decision received for this strong industry consortium bringing the European EW capabilities forward. A heartfelt thank you to Coordinator Patria, consortium partners as well as the team at Spinverse for the effective work at the proposal preparation phase. Spinverse is looking forward to continuing the work with our partners and supporting AI-WASP consortium in the project’s implementation phase,” says Juslén.
European Defence Fund supports a strong and innovative defence industry in Europe
The EDF is the European Union’s main research & development funding instrument with regards to strengthening European defence innovation. The EU Member States’ total 2021-2027 budget for the EDF is close to EUR 8 billion with annual work programmes to foster European cross-border innovation and collaboration.
With the awarded projects from 2024 round of calls, the Commission is investing EUR 910 million to create a strong and innovative defence industry in Europe. The funded initiatives aim to close key capability gaps such as force mobility and drone defence through innovation and collaboration across European science and industry.
More information:
AI-WASP programme
email: ai-wasp@patriagroup.com