Spain takes a decisive step towards technological sovereignty in defense with the launch of GUARDIANES (Network of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Security and Defense), a strategic R&D&i initiative financed by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, within the framework of the Cervera Aid to Technological Centers.
The consortium is made up of seven leading national technology centers: ITI (coordinator), IBV, CARTIF, CIRCE, CTIC, FIDESOL and ITG. Together they have more than 1,700 researchers, specialized laboratories distributed throughout the territory and an accumulated history of hundreds of European projects in data technologies and artificial intelligence in order to gather knowledge around the GUARDIANES project.
A joint response to the strategic challenge of AI in defense
In a geopolitical context in which NATO, the European Union and the Government of Spain itself have identified artificial intelligence as a critical technology for collective security, GUARDIANES was born with the aim of turning Spain into a country that generates AI technologies applied to defense.
The project focuses on four major technological axes: the management and generation of high-quality data for operational environments; the development of new computing paradigms; research in advanced algorithms and scenario simulation; and the ethical and responsible governance of AI.
In this framework, the IBV contributes its knowledge in the evaluation of physiological parameters without contact and in the recognition of actions from images to provide intelligence to the advanced algorithms that will make it possible to know the health status of people injured in rescue operations, supporting triage, and detecting actions or activities that may pose a potential risk.
Together they have more than 1,700 researchers, specialized laboratories and an accumulated track record of hundreds of European projects.
These developments will be validated in two representative scenarios: a tactical rescue operation in a multi-domain conflict environment and an intelligent surveillance and control system in critical border infrastructure.
Scientific and technological impact
With a global budget of 5.99 million euros and a duration of three years (2026-2028), the GUARDIANES network has set ambitious objectives: incorporate 33 new doctors, increase collaborations with international centers and universities by 62% and expand by 31% the number of Spanish companies involved in international defense projects.
In addition to the scientific and technological impact, the GUARDIANES initiative seeks to strengthen the national business fabric, especially SMEs in the ICT and defense sector, providing them with access to experimentation platforms, specialized training and collaborative projects at a European level.
