The Navy has activated the second phase of the EEBA Challenge in Cartagena, the program that will serve as the basis for the development of the future Spanish autonomous ship. The meeting took place at the General Albacete and Fuster Marine Infantry School and had the support of Funditec, technological partner of the project, during a day that closed one stage and opened another with a greater operational load.
With this step, the first phase of the program ends, focused on the identification and definition of technological challenges, and the phase of analysis of proposals that must materialize the key capabilities of the autonomous ship begins. The initiative is part of the Navy’s modernization strategy and aligns with the strategic objectives of autonomy defined by the Ministry of Defense and published in official bodies such as the Spanish Ministry of Defense.
A technological challenge that exceeds initial expectations
The EEBA Challenge was officially presented last September in Madrid, during the XV Naval Week, as a program aimed at defining the physical and digital systems that will allow ships to operate with high levels of autonomy by 2050.
The industry’s response has exceeded initial expectations. The Navy received 25 technology proposals from leading companies interested in responding to the challenges posed. After an initial evaluation process, 13 challenges were selected and are now entering the call phase, a figure much higher than that initially planned by the organization.
This volume of proposals confirms the sector’s growing interest in autonomous naval systems and consolidates the EEBA Challenge as one of the main catalysts for applied innovation in the field of naval defense in Spain.
Artificial intelligence and operational autonomy at the center of the debate
An intelligent naval environment
The Cartagena conference was structured around two round tables which made it possible to analyze the technological capabilities that the Navy considers critical for the future autonomous ship. The first of these, dedicated to an intelligent naval environment, addressed the impact of artificial intelligence, energy management and autonomous systems on surface operations.
Among the most relevant aspects, the intelligent management of energy consumption on board stood out. This challenge aims to provide ships with greater operational autonomy through algorithms capable of anticipating energy demand, prioritizing critical systems and optimizing the use of propulsion and sensors without compromising the mission.
This approach is essential for short-handed or permanently unmanned platforms, where energy efficiency and system reliability become determining factors.
Advanced Naval Information Management
The second roundtable focused on information management in naval operations, one of the pillars of the EEBA Challenge. The talks focused on connectivity in degraded environments, processing large volumes of data and the need for resilient architectures.
Concepts such as naval information highways, combat cloud, naval Internet of Things or digital twins have been analyzed as essential tools to improve situational awareness and facilitate real-time decision-making.
The ability to integrate sensors, platforms and unmanned systems into a secure digital ecosystem appears to be one of the differentiating elements of the Navy’s future autonomous ship.
Four major technological blocks for the ship of the future
The challenges selected within the EEBA Challenge are grouped into four major technological blocks which define the functional architecture of the program:
- Artificial intelligenceapplied to autonomous and explainable decision-making.
- Situational awarenessthanks to advanced sensorization and data fusion.
- Information managementwith new communication and processing architectures.
- Safety, survival and cybersecurityaimed at ensuring the resilience of the system.
These blocks include capabilities such as the coordination of swarms of unmanned systems, on-board cyber defense or protection against hybrid threats, aspects considered critical in future operational scenarios.
The CDTI strengthens financing of the defense ecosystem
During the day, the incorporation of the Center for Technological Development and Innovation as a support entity for the program was announced. The CDTI will act as a financial facilitator, facilitating the participation of small businesses, micro-enterprises and emerging businesses in collaboration with lead companies.
This model aims to accelerate the development of minimum viable products with dual-use applications, while strengthening the defense industrial base and the transfer of technology to the civilian sphere.
A paradigm shift in naval design
The Autonomous Ship Essentials project represents a profound departure from traditional military shipbuilding programs. Rather than starting from a closed platform, the Navy is first defining the critical systems and capabilities that will shape the ship of the future.
This approach allows for greater flexibility, facilitates the integration of disruptive innovations and reduces long-term technological risks. The program has an expected duration of one year and is structured into four phases, which will culminate with a demonstration day during Naval Week 2026.
Next steps in the EEBA Challenge
With the opening of the second phase, the French Navy is now beginning the detailed analysis of the offers and the formalization of the teams formed by the companies and SMEs. Subsequently, the proof of concept development phase will be addressed, before presenting the results in a representative naval operational environment.
The EEBA Challenge is thus consolidated as one of the Navy’s main commitments in favor of technological sovereignty, collaborative innovation and the real transformation of modes of operation at sea, laying the foundations for a Spanish autonomous ship this will mark the operational horizon for decades to come.
About The Author
