Euractiv: EU prepares its own platform for defense data exchange without US participation

European Union institutions have begun to explore how their armies and defense agencies can securely share information without American involvement. This is reported by the publication Euractiv, who got acquainted with the presentation of the European Defense Agency (EDA).

According to the documents, the EU's intergovernmental defense body aims to create a fully operational platform for sharing confidential military-level data by 2030. The initiative is called the European Defense Artificial Intelligence Data Space (DAIDS).

The publication notes that so far, EU countries have "chosen providers based on national preferences" for the exchange of sensitive information. In particular, it refers to foreign, including American, technologies, "which creates potential dependence and vulnerability."

Given that the EU is increasingly questioning its dependence on the United States, Brussels has raised the issue of ensuring proper protection of its military data, the publication writes.

Last year, the European Commission proposed to create a "trusted, secure and interoperable data environment" in its Roadmap for the transformation of the defense industry until 2030.

It is now proposed to implement two complementary projects:

→ The first is "a federated EU-wide structure for the secure and sovereign exchange of defense-related data".

→ The second is the "sovereign military cloud" to be developed by EU governments. Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has previously stated its necessity.

These two projects are interconnected, but they can function independently. The cloud stores data, while the data space facilitates the exchange of information on a bilateral or multilateral basis, Euractiv writes.

EU leaders also called the use of military artificial intelligence in defense "one of the key areas for investment to better prepare the continent."

The EDA has already contracted a consortium of three companies to help develop the project. The next step is to encourage countries to coordinate joint technology procurement for the future European data space.

According to the documents, in 2029-2030, the platform is planned to be integrated into standard operations of the armies and defense agencies of the member states. It can also be used in missions and exercises.

• on January 11, Kubilius proposed replace American troops in Europe by our own defense forces.
• on January 19, Politico wrote that Europe can create its own alliance instead of NATO without US participation, but with Ukraine. It could be created on the basis of a "coalition of the willing."
• on January 26, NATO Secretary General emphasized he said that the creation of a separate European army would "complicate the system of collective defense of Europe", which "would appeal to Putin".
• Kaya Kallas said he said that the Alliance members "do not have the ability to create a separate army".