Seven Spanish technology centres join forces in GUARDIANES, the first excellence network in artificial intelligence for Security and Defence

Spain is taking a decisive step towards technological sovereignty in defence with the launch of GUARDIANES (Excellence Network in Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Security and Defence), a strategic R&D&I initiative funded by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, within the framework of the Cervera Grants for Technology Centres.

The consortium brings together seven leading Spanish technology centres: ITI as coordinator, CARTIF, CIRCE, CTIC, FIDESOL, IBV and ITG. Together, they represent more than 1,700 researchers, specialised laboratories across Spain and a proven track record of hundreds of European projects in data technologies and artificial intelligence.

A response to the strategic challenge of AI in defence

In a geopolitical context in which NATO, the European Union and the Spanish Government have identified artificial intelligence as a critical technology for collective security, GUARDIANES aims to position Spain as a developer of AI technologies applied to defence.

The project focuses on four major technological pillars: the management and generation of high-quality data for operational environments; the development of new computing paradigms; research into advanced algorithms and scenario simulation; and the ethical and responsible governance of AI.

These developments will be validated in two representative scenarios: a tactical rescue operation in a multidomain contested environment and an intelligent surveillance and control system for critical border infrastructure.

Expected impact

With a total budget of €5.99 million and a three-year duration from 2026 to 2028, the GUARDIANES network has set ambitious goals: to recruit 33 new PhD holders, increase collaborations with international centres and universities by 62%, and expand by 31% the number of Spanish companies involved in international defence projects.

Beyond its scientific and technological impact, the initiative seeks to strengthen Spain’s business ecosystem, particularly SMEs in the ICT and defence sectors, by giving them access to experimentation platforms, specialised training and collaborative European projects.