Coimbra, Portugal, June 15, 2025 (Lusa) - A project, which aims to strengthen the European Union’s (EU) defence through technological innovation linked to a missile system, will use artificial intelligence (AI) developed by Portuguese company Critical Software, according to a business source.
The consortium of 26 entities, led by a German defence company and involving other companies and research centres from 12 European countries, in which Critical Software is the only Portuguese representative, is part of the BEAST (Boosting European Advanced Missile System Technologies) project.
The project is scheduled to start in the last quarter of this year and has a development horizon of three years, concluding by the end of 2028.
In information provided to the Lusa news agency, the Coimbra-based technology company clarified that its contribution aims to design “a machine learning operations platform to automate the implementation of AI models in the missile system’s core software”.
“This platform seeks to simplify workflows, enhance accuracy and accelerate the development and updating of AI-based components,” he added.
In conversation with Lusa, João Pedro Mortágua, senior director of business development at Critical Software, explained that the Portuguese technology company’s involvement involves incorporating artificial intelligence into missiles, through machine learning operations (in which systems learn through data analysis and pattern identification), which he considered a novelty in the field of defence.
The current geopolitical context and conflicts on the doorstep of Western Europe, according to the director of Critical Software, have been very favourable for investment in technological innovation and the development of European defence systems.
Faced with potential threats such as fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), electronic warfare, and cruise missiles, the expert advocated for the European continent to be prepared to respond.
“The threat requires prompt attention, and demand for both innovation and investment is increasing significantly. This BEAST project follows a logic of working in series with European countries on advanced, interoperable, modular and rapidly developing defence systems that can provide Europe with greater defence capabilities,” explained João Pedro Mortágua.
However, the development of a system that could allow missile capabilities to “be more innovative and autonomous” raises, according to the expert, who is a trained aerospace engineer, ethical and safety issues for the populations that we must observe.
“We must examine all this very carefully to ensure that we can confirm the population’s safety. We must guarantee safety and reliability requirements. Therefore, our role is one of great innovation and great rigour,” emphasised João Pedro Mortágua.
At the end of the project, the goal is to arrive at a functional prototype: “We will have three years to develop, test and then see whether this is reproducible from an industrial point of view. But that is the goal, to create a prototype that someone can industrialise and then use in defence scenarios,” he said.
Critical Software provides technological solutions in various fields, including aviation, space exploration, the financial sector, transport, energy, and health, among others.
In what is, to date, the largest military defence project in which the Portuguese technology company is involved, João Pedro Mortágua recalled the “very strict code of ethics” that exists within the company.
“We are on the side of the good guys, that is, those who defend.” For us, defence is, in fact, defence, focused on protecting populations and saving human lives. It supports countries and EU Member States in safeguarding people. This project aligns with the logic of defending European citizens and champions peace and life,” he stressed.
JLS/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
