3 questions to… Elias Stipidis from VRCEU

We asked 3 questions to Elias Stipidis from VRC EU (Cyprus).

Why did your company get involved and take on the role of technical coordinator for the COMMANDS project?

Clearly with the way warfare is developing our forces have to be very agile to execute successfully operations and tactically very much aware to adapt to urgent operational requirements.  Furthermore, supporting operations logistically, planning and training to using new technologies is also becoming very much critical to success.  VRCEU has many years of experience in R&D for Land Systems digitization and modernization with Through Life Capabilities Management, and the COMMANDS approach offers a significant solution to Intelligent Land Systems whereby Personnel can work in harmony with UGS equipment to provide battle winning safe, secure and ethically aware capabilities.  VRCEU therefore believes that the COMMANDS solutions are key to the future of EUs Land Systems Capabilities and VRCEU as an independent consultancy is ideally placed to provide unbiased leadership in bringing together EUs advanced UGS technologies for the common benefit.

What is your specific role in the project?

VRCEU as Technical Coordinator leads and guides all partners to work in a cooperative environment, nurturing professional relationships and innovation aiming to significant exploitation of the outputs.  VRCEU ensures that all partners have a saying in the development process creating an ecosystem that is fit for purpose not only for the current project but also for future cooperation.  Finally and most significantly, VRCEU maintains a clear direction in COMMANDS to ensure safety, security and ethical UGS technologies are certifiable and able to get qualification acceptance to be deployed by 2030.

How do you see the added value of COMMANDS for the European armed forces?

There is no doubt that the COMMANDS outputs will be key first of all in protecting our soldiers in the front line whilst offering significant solutions in trusting man-machine teaming to making appropriate decisions for successful operations.  Although COMMANDS is focusing for Land Systems, it is certain that the COMMANDS UGS technologies are exploitable for other domains and facilitate Joint Intelligent Operations.