European Defence Agency Launches Advanced 3D Modelling Project to Enhance Military Situational Awareness

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched a cutting-edge project aimed at improving military situational awareness through automatic 3D modelling. This initiative is designed to enhance threat detection, identification, and operational coordination by providing military personnel with a more detailed and real-time understanding of their surroundings.

Enhancing Real-Time Battlefield Awareness

With rapid advancements in technology, modern military operations increasingly rely on precise terrain analysis. The new EDA initiative leverages automated and semi-automated 3D modelling techniques that create high-resolution digital maps of mission areas. These models integrate real-time data from sensors mounted on land platforms, ensuring that military personnel have an accurate and updated view of their environment as they move through combat zones.

This technology will allow operators to assess terrain before arrival, predict potential risks, and make more informed decisions during missions. The enhanced situational awareness is expected to improve tactical planning, threat response, and battlefield efficiency.

A Collaborative European Effort

To drive the project forward, EDA’s CapTech Ground Systems and CapTech Simulation Technologies have coordinated a partnership between Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The initiative, known as “3D Terrain and City Models for Situational Awareness, Decision Making, and Effector Coordination” (3D-4LAND I), brings together a diverse group of research and industry partners.

The project is led by the Netherlands-based RE-liON, with contributions from:

• TNO (Netherlands) – a leading defence and security research organisation
• FIRIS SA (Luxembourg) – a company specialising in real-time situational analysis
• University of Luxembourg – providing expertise in simulation technologies
• Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) – contributing to data processing and system development

A Multi-Phase Project with a €4.9 Million Budget

The 3D-4LAND I project has been allocated a €4.9 million budget over a three-year period. This phase will focus on:

• Defining the system’s operational and technical requirements
• Developing a robust system architecture
• Establishing evaluation criteria and key specifications

The success of 3D-4LAND I will set the foundation for 3D-4LAND II, the next phase of the initiative, which will focus on creating a physical demonstrator of the system for real-world testing and deployment.

The Future of Military Intelligence

As modern conflicts become increasingly data-driven, projects like 3D-4LAND I will play a crucial role in ensuring faster, smarter, and more efficient military operations. By combining real-time data analysis, advanced simulation technologies, and international collaboration, the European Defence Agency is paving the way for a new era of enhanced battlefield awareness.