MADRID, — Spanish state-owned defence shipbuilder Navantia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with San Sebastián-based software company Multiverse Computing to develop, test and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum-inspired technologies for naval defence systems.
The agreement brings together Navantia’s expertise in naval architecture, defence platforms and systems integration with Multiverse Computing’s capabilities in AI optimisation. The partnership will focus on adapting AI models for use aboard surface ships and submarines, including environments with limited computing resources, power and connectivity.
The agreement was signed by Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero, Navantia’s Chief Operating Officer, and Enrique Lizaso, co-founder and CEO of Multiverse Computing.
AI Applications for Ships and Submarines
The companies will explore AI applications for embedded systems aboard naval vessels and submarines, signal processing, situational awareness, mission planning and logistics optimisation. The partnership will also examine applications in Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (C4I) systems.
A central part of the collaboration is Multiverse Computing’s CompactifAI technology, which compresses AI models to reduce their size and the computing resources required to run them. This could help naval systems use advanced AI where processing capacity, electrical power or network connectivity is limited.
The technology is also intended to support independent onboard operation without continuous internet access or reliance on external cloud services, an important consideration for naval platforms operating in isolated environments.
Navantia will contribute operational requirements, product knowledge, systems integration expertise and lifecycle support. This will help the companies assess how AI models can be moved from laboratory testing into practical naval products and maintained throughout their service life.
Companies Target European Defence Programmes
Navantia said the agreement would help incorporate AI into its products and accelerate the development of more efficient and advanced naval solutions.
Mateo-Guerrero said the partnership would make it possible to apply artificial intelligence to Navantia’s products and accelerate their evolution towards more efficient and advanced naval solutions.
Lizaso highlighted the challenge of integrating AI into military systems, explaining that the main difficulty is moving beyond laboratory demonstrations to capabilities that naval systems can sustain throughout their entire lifecycle.
For Navantia, which is wholly owned by Spain’s state holding company SEPI, the partnership supports its broader efforts to expand AI across its portfolio, strengthen domestic industrial capabilities and technological sovereignty.
For Multiverse Computing, the collaboration provides an opportunity to test its AI compression and quantum-inspired optimisation technologies against the operational and lifecycle requirements of naval defence programmes.
The two companies also plan to assess joint proposals for European defence and innovation programmes, extending their cooperation beyond technology development and testing.
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