ST Engineering iDirect Leads the European Protected Waveform Consortium into Phase 2
Setting the EU standard for secure, adaptable and interoperable satellite communications to support military operations and the IRIS² constellation
SINT-NIKLAAS, Belgium, May 7, 2025 /CNW/ -- ST Engineering iDirect's EU Satcom Centre of Excellence, ST Engineering iDirect Europe, based in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, today announced the advancement of the European Protected Waveform (EPW) project to its second phase. Under the leadership of Belgium's Ministry of Defence and with ST Engineering iDirect Europe as the consortium lead, this milestone marks significant progress in enhancing secure and autonomous satellite communications for Europe.
The project brings together a consortium of 22 organisations from 12 EU Member States, encompassing experts from industry, government and academia. This collaborative effort aims to develop a comprehensive, end-to-end waveform solution designed to ensure resilient and secure communications for military operations and critical government needs in increasingly complex operational environments.
With the foundation established during Phase 1 that laid the framework for the waveform's initial development, Phase 2 focuses on the prototyping and integration of the EPW system. The goal is to provide secure, interoperable systems that align with Europe's strategic initiatives, including the future IRIS² satellite constellation and the EU GovSatCom programme.
"Together with ST Engineering iDirect Europe, we are investing in the backbone of modern military operations: secure and reliable communication," said Theo Francken, Belgian Minister of Defence. "With support from the European Defence Fund, we are advancing technological innovation, strengthening strategic autonomy, and enhancing the safety of our troops. In today's uncertain world, European cooperation in research and development is not a luxury — it's an absolute necessity. This project aligns perfectly with our broader mission to modernise Defence and deepen European collaboration in R&D."
"The advancement to EPW Phase 2 underscores the strategic importance of this initiative to bolster European autonomy in secure satellite communications," said Koen Willems, Vice President, EU Programmes, at ST Engineering iDirect Europe. "This recognition by the European Defence Fund demonstrates the urgent necessity to address emerging threats and foster resilience for critical operations across Europe."
The total investment in the EPW project now stands at €65 million, with €35 million dedicated to Phase 2 following the €30 million allocation in Phase 1. This investment highlights Europe's commitment to advancing protected satellite communications and strengthening collaborative defence capabilities among its Member States.
The European Protected Waveform (Phase 2) is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of ST Engineering iDirect Europe only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
About ST Engineering iDirect Europe
ST Engineering iDirect Europe, located in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, is ST Engineering iDirect's EU Satcom Center of Excellence specialising in the development of ground segment technology and solutions specifically for the EU. As a legal Belgian entity, ST Engineering iDirect Europe has its own board of directors to comply to the guidelines and conditions as put forward by the EU Commission and the Belgian Government. With over 35 years of experience, the ST Engineering iDirect portfolio of high-value product lines and services in addition to a dedicated team of domain specialists, and a ISO9001 certified manufacturing center the team has a portfolio of capabilities to cater to the specific needs of European funded satcoms programs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
5 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Trump's patience with Putin leaves U.S. Senate sanctions push on hold
(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump's suggestion that he may let Russia and Ukraine keep fighting has left US lawmakers in an awkward spot over their plan to force a ceasefire with 'bone-crushing' sanctions against Moscow. Article content The Senate bill has more than 80 co-sponsors, an all-but-unheard-of level of bipartisan support. Yet although that kind of veto-proof backing is enough for the Senate to press ahead without White House backing, supporters show no sign they're ready to challenge the president. Article content Article content Article content Trump's comments on Thursday — he said he hadn't even looked at the bill, but will do what he wants 'at the right time' — put the brakes on what had seemed to be an accelerating push to advance the proposal as soon as this month. Article content Article content Republican co-author Lindsey Graham, who said earlier in the week that he aimed to have the Senate plan in place by the Group of Seven leaders' summit to be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, June 15-17, seemed to ease off the gas in a tweet after Trump's comments. 'I have coordinated closely with the White House on this endeavor from day one,' he wrote. Article content Trump, however, has shown little interest in backing Graham's plan, and the White House has insisted that any decision on sanctions will be the president's alone. Instead, he's signaled he may walk away from efforts to force a settlement amid growing frustration with his inability to deliver the quick peace deal he promised on the campaign trail. Article content Article content Graham's Democrat co-author Richard Blumenthal said the pair are still working on changes to the bill to make it more acceptable to the White House. Article content European leaders, meanwhile, are pushing ahead with plans to impose more restrictions on Russian financial institutions and the shadow fleet of tankers Moscow uses to export its oil. Those limits have squeezed Russia's economy — but not President Vladimir Putin's resolve to continue fighting. Russia's war in Ukraine, conceived as a days- or weeks-long 'special military operation,' is well into its fourth year. Article content German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made the case for turning up the heat on Putin during an Oval Office meeting with Trump on Thursday, but came away sounding cautious.
Global News
10 hours ago
- Global News
Canada-Europe defence ties can link ‘club of countries,' says German envoy
If Canada decides to buy submarines from Germany, it would mean tightening ties with a 'club of countries' in Europe as it looks to meet NATO defence spending goals and face an uncertain world, Germany's ambassador says. Matthias Lüttenberg, Germany's ambassador to Canada, sat down with The West Block's Mercedes Stephenson in an interview airing on Sunday and emphasized the value of working more closely together. 'It's up to the Canadian government to decide which direction they want to go,' said Lüttenberg. 'The state of the art submarine that we are offering jointly with Norway, which is built in Germany, is a very good solution for Canadian security, especially when you look at the Arctic.' European countries are investing billions into their militaries and Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged that Canada will join the ReArm Europe initiative in the recent throne speech. Story continues below advertisement Germany and Norway have proposed partnering with Canada to procure new submarines — a project that would give Ottawa earlier access to the vessels and help it meet its NATO spending targets, which aim to get all members of the military alliance spending two per cent of their GDP on defence. Canada has long fallen short of that target, but is under renewed pressure to not only meet, but to exceed that target, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for more military spending. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Lüttenberg said buying into the submarine project would symbolize a broader partnership. 'It's not only about the submarine, it's also about entering this club of countries: Norway, Germany, potentially others in Europe are interested to be part of this maritime partnership because it brings much more benefit than just a submarine; because we can jointly innovate, we can develop, we can talk about maintenance, but really have another project which is ongoing with Canada,' he said. 'I think this is an interesting offer among the NATO allies.' 1:45 What will Canada's defence spending look like? Lüttenberg was asked about timelines specific to when Germany can reach its renewed defence spending targets. He said they already exceed the NATO two per cent mark and are aiming at upwards of three per cent in the coming years, and alluded to the potential for future acts of aggression by Russia. Story continues below advertisement '(Germany's) minister of defence has said he wants to see the German Army be war-ready by 2029. Not because we want to attack anybody, God forbid, but because we feel that we should be ready to counter any sort of Russian aggression against NATO territory by that time,' he said. With continued escalations in the war in Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, Trump's efforts to broker a peace deal has appeared to lack progress since his inauguration. Strength in economies, be it in Canada or the European Union, will be important if nations hope to meet budget goals including for defence spending. The trade war sparked by Trump's tariff policies has been cited as one of the biggest risks to global economies including Canada's. Carney is looking to boost Canada's economy amid the trade war by working towards 'One Canadian Economy,' and has now tabled a bill to remove federally regulated interprovincial trade barriers. Canada has a goal to reach NATO's target of two per cent of GDP by as early as 2027, with this fiscal year tracking towards 1.37 per cent — compared to 1.31 per cent in fiscal 2024. Lüttenberg said Germany is planning to increase its defence spending by 0.2 per cent each year to reach 3.5 per cent of its total annual gross domestic product by 2032. Story continues below advertisement 'The two per cent aim to us for a long time seemed to be far away, and now we stand at 2.12 per cent. But we are committing very frankly, to the new target of 3.5 plus 1.5 in terms of additional infrastructure battalions, and expenses,' he said. 'We are supportive of this goal, which is shared by Mark Rutte as well, as NATO secretary general.'
Toronto Star
17 hours ago
- Toronto Star
New disputes emerge ahead of US-China trade talks in London
BEIJING (AP) — U.S.-China trade talks in London this week are expected to take up a series of fresh disputes that have buffeted relations, threatening a fragile truce over tariffs. Both sides agreed in Geneva last month to a 90-day suspension of most of the 100%-plus tariffs they had imposed on each other in an escalating trade war that had sparked fears of recession. Since then, the U.S. and China have exchanged angry words over advanced semiconductors that power artificial intelligence, 'rare earths' that are vital to carmakers and other industries, and visas for Chinese students at American universities. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW President Donald Trump spoke at length with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by phone last Thursday in an attempt to put relations back on track. Trump announced on social media the next day that trade talks would be held on Monday in London. Technology is a major sticking point The latest frictions began just a day after the May 12 announcement of the Geneva agreement to 'pause' tariffs for 90 days. The U.S. Commerce Department issued guidance saying the use of Ascend AI chips from Huawei, a leading Chinese tech company, could violate U.S. export controls. That's because the chips were likely developed with American technology despite restrictions on its export to China, the guidance said. The Chinese government wasn't pleased. One of its biggest beefs in recent years has been over U.S. moves to limit the access of Chinese companies to technology, and in particular to equipment and processes needed to produce the most advanced semiconductors. 'The Chinese side urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its erroneous practices,' a Commerce Ministry spokesperson said. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wasn't in Geneva but will join the talks in London. Analysts say that suggests at least a willingness on the U.S. side to hear out China's concerns on export controls. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW China shows signs of easing up on rare earths One area where China holds the upper hand is in the mining and processing of rare earths. They are crucial for not only autos but also a range of other products from robots to military equipment. The Chinese government started requiring producers to obtain a license to export seven rare earth elements in April. Resulting shortages sent automakers worldwide into a tizzy. As stockpiles ran down, some worried they would have to halt production. Trump, without mentioning rare earths specifically, took to social media to attack China. 'The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,' Trump posted on May 30. The Chinese government indicated Saturday that it is addressing the concerns, which have come from European companies as well. A Commerce Ministry statement said it had granted some approvals and 'will continue to strengthen the approval of applications that comply with regulations.' The scramble to resolve the rare earth issue shows that China has a strong card to play if it wants to strike back against tariffs or other measures. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Plan to revoke student visas adds to tensions Student visas don't normally figure in trade talks, but a U.S. announcement that it would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students has emerged as another thorn in the relationship. China's Commerce Ministry raised the issue when asked last week about the accusation that it had violated the consensus reached in Geneva. It replied that the U.S. had undermined the agreement by issuing export control guidelines for AI chips, stopping the sale of chip design software to China and saying it would revoke Chinese student visas. 'The United States has unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions,' the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a May 28 statement that the United States would 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' More than 270,000 Chinese students studied in the U.S. in the 2023-24 academic year.
