With the project now only a few months before its completion, partners from across Europe came together to review the progress achieved so far, align on the remaining activities and coordinate the next steps towards the final phase of the project.

The meeting opened on 18 June with presentations covering the project’s overall progress, technical management, validation planning, legal, security and ethics aspects, as well as dissemination and exploitation activities. Partners also discussed progress and next steps across CASSATA’s main technical areas, including optronics for covert sensing, acoustic/seismic sensing, RF and radar systems, and adaptive and collaborative sensing, data processing, fusion, AI and sensor management.

On the second day, a dedicated technical workshop focused on the preparation and requirements of the Global Demonstrator, enabling focused discussions, technical alignment and deeper collaboration among partners.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the importance of close cooperation, technical coordination and shared expertise as CASSATA enters its final months and moves towards its final project outcomes. Many thanks to CERTH for the excellent hosting and to all consortium partners for their active engagement, constructive discussions and continued collaboration.

#CASSATAProject #EDF #GeneralAssembly #DefenseInnovation #EUResearch #DefenseTechnology #CollaborationInAction

Now in its final year, CASSATA is sharing more mature and comprehensive findings and innovations, making this a great opportunity to connect with participants and exchange views.

🤝 These interactions are an important part of how projects like CASSATA evolve, by connecting with the right audiences, exchanging perspectives, and grounding innovation within real-world needs.

Thank you to the organisers and to everyone who engaged with the project during the event.

During 29-30 of January 2026, our partners from Rheinmetall Italy hosted the 4th CASSATA General Assembly meeting in Rome.

Partners from across Europe came together to discuss project progress, align on key technical developments and plan the next steps for the final year of the project.

The meeting opened on 29 January with comprehensive presentations outlining progress across all work packages. On the second day, a technical workshop brought together the project’s technical area teams, enabling focused alignment, coordination of next steps and deeper cross-team collaboration.

The agenda concluded with a tour of our hosts’ facilities, offering valuable insight into their capabilities and ongoing activities.

Overall, the discussions highlighted the importance of close cooperation and shared expertise in advancing innovation for future European defence capabilities.

Strengthening Europe’s Defense Innovation through Collaboration

On 21–22 May 2025, the CASSATA consortium gathered in Madrid, Spain for its 3^rd General Assembly and Technical Workshop, hosted by project partner INDRA. The two-day event brought together technical leads, researchers, and project managers to review progress, align priorities, and plan the next phase of development.

Day 1 focused on the main achievements and research findings from the past six months, along with discussions on upcoming milestones and strategic objectives.

On Day 2, the consortium held its Technical Workshop, featuring updates on the technical plan and key planning documents. Partners divided into parallel sessions by Technical Area (TA) and each group exchanged technical updates and coordinated next steps for deliverables, use cases, and development strategies.

Through open dialogue and expert collaboration, the consortium reaffirmed its shared commitment to advancing innovation for future European defense applications.

CASSATA was showcased at DEFEA 2025 – Defence Exhibition Athens, held from 6 to 8 May 2025 in Athens, Greece, organized under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence, with the cooperation of the SEKPY – Hellenic Manufacturers of Defence Material Association. Additional dissemination promoting of CASSATA’s achievements made by our partners at their exhibition stands.

As one of Europe’s most high-level defence and security exhibitions, DEFEA offered a unique opportunity for the representatives of the project to engage with a wide range of industry stakeholders, defence officials, and innovation-driven actors, sharing insights into our achievements so far and our goals for the future of covert sensing and strategic technological sovereignty.

CASSATA was featured with its dedicated booth throughout the three-day event, offering a key opportunity to:

• Showcase the project’s mission and technological achievements in the field of covert sensing
• Engage with international stakeholders from industry, defence institutions and academia
• Highlight the strategic importance of EDF (European Defence Fund) support in advancing defence innovation

Through its presence, CASSATA not only presented its goals, initial outcomes, and future direction but also actively engaged in conversations surrounding the future of European defence, highlighting the importance of cross-border cooperation, industrial innovation, and the vital role of research in strengthening Europe’s security and resilience.

The event provided a platform to highlight CASSATA’s innovative contributions to Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) and security, with a focus on advanced algorithms for acoustic and seismic signal processing. These technologies aim to enhance maritime safety and defence capabilities.

EURONAVAL 2024, a leading event in maritime and naval innovation, attracted over 20,000 participants, including officials, industry representatives, and innovators from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

The participation underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in the field of maritime security, strengthening connections and exploring opportunities for future advancements.

For more information about EURONAVAL, visit https://www.euronaval.fr/

Engaging Booth and Presentation on Next-Generation Technologies

At the CASSATA booth, attendees experienced firsthand the project’s groundbreaking technologies, designed to enhance situational awareness, sensor fusion, and decision-making capabilities across multi-domain operations. Our experts were available throughout the event to discuss the project’s goals, consortium, and the leading-edge technology areas that CASSATA addresses.

During our presentation, we offered a comprehensive overview of the project’s key technological advancements, such as multi-sensor platforms, AI-driven data fusion, and covert sensing solutions, all designed to meet the complex demands of modern defence scenarios. This overview highlighted the versatility, scalability, and resilience of CASSATA’s solutions, which support efficient operations while maintaining covertness in challenging environments.

Project website article #4 (News)

CASSATA Advances Covert Laser Range finding with Latest Publication

The CASSATA project proudly announces its latest scientific contribution to the field of covert sensing technology. FOI researchers Markus Henriksson, Stephen Macken, and Per Jonsson have authored the paper “Modelling impact of trade-off between afterpulsing and hold-off time on time-correlated single-photon lidar”.

Published in the SPIE Proceedings Volume Emerging Imaging and Sensing Technologies for Security and Defence IX, this research focuses on optimizing single-photon detectors for covert laser range finding applications. By modeling the trade-offs between afterpulsing and hold-off time, this work addresses critical challenges in covert sensing and enhances operational effectiveness in defence scenarios.

📅 Published: November 2024
📍 Presented at SPIE’s Emerging Imaging and Sensing Technologies for Security and Defence IX

🔗 Read the full publication here

Sofia, Bulgaria – October 9-10, 2024 – The CASSATA project recently held its General Assembly and Technical Workshop at the Bulgarian Central Military Club. Over two days, project partners reviewed progress, discussed technological advancements, and set future goals.

Day one began with updates on project management, covering quality, risk management, legal aspects, and dissemination strategies, led by ICCS, CERTH, and DBC. The focus then shifted to key technological areas, including acoustic and seismic sensors (TA2), with presentations on work packages WP6 to WP9, followed by radar and RF sensing technologies (TA3), and optronics systems (TA1), each highlighting key advancements and challenges.

On the second day, discussions centered on requirements elicitation and validation plans, along with AI-enhanced sensor fusion and management in Technology Area 4. INDRA, CERTH, and RME outlined the integration of AI into sensor systems, followed by a technical workshop on project architecture and sensor configuration. The workshop also covered validation strategies, KPIs, and use cases.

The event wrapped up with an open discussion, setting clear objectives for the next phase of the project.

Objective of the workshop

The main objective of the event was to improve the collective understanding of state-of-the-art acoustic sensing technologies and to foster stronger collaboration among European defence ministries, industrial partners, and academic institutions. The discussions and presentations explored the role of these technologies in threat detection and sound propagation, offering critical insights for the ongoing development of defence solutions.

The event drew 122 participants, including key players from industry, national defence authorities, and the scientific research community, with a total of 30 oral presentations and 10 posters showcasing the latest research.

CASSATA’s Role and Contributions

The CASSATA project played a prominent role in the workshop, with Pierre Naz and Sébastien Hengy presenting acoustic sensing as part of the CASSATA initiative. Their presentation, titled Acoustic Sensing for the CASSATA Project, highlighted how advanced acoustic sensors contribute to enhancing battlefield awareness and improving threat detection capabilities.

The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for scientific networking in the acoustics domain, with participants discussing implications for future research and applications in defence.

Opportunities for CASSATA

The workshop was a success in strengthening collaborative ties between CASSATA partners and expanding the scientific community’s engagement with acoustic sensing research. Key discussions on threat detection and sound propagation laid the groundwork for future advancements in the field.

The meeting featured a comprehensive agenda, with detailed presentations on the various Technology Areas and Roles contributed by the project’s diverse partners. These sessions provided participants with an in-depth understanding of CASSATA’s cutting-edge innovations and future potential. A key focus of the discussions was on the initial phases of project management and development, laying the groundwork for the ambitious goals that lie ahead.

During the workshop, project partners engaged in dynamic discussions about the project’s next steps, crafting a well-defined action plan to guide the work over the coming months. This plan ensures that each phase is meticulously organized, with a focus on impactful outcomes as CASSATA continues to evolve.

The second day of the event saw the convening of the 1st End User Workshop, where invited representatives from various Ministries of Defense (MoDs) participated in a collaborative session. The workshop was instrumental in gathering valuable feedback and insights regarding user needs, potential constraints, and opportunities for maximizing the effectiveness of CASSATA’s solutions. The workshop also included an innovative Scenario Building Exercise, designed to align the needs of the end users with the project’s technological developments from the outset.