Dr. Peter Wellig, the research program manager at armasuisse Science and Technology (S+T), greeted 40 participants of the research cooperation from Germany and Switzerland in Thun on 15 November 2022. In contrast to the last two years, this year’s workshop – the 16th workshop between the two countries – could be held with the physical presence of the participants. Over two days, in seven working groups as well as in plenum presentations, the participants exchanged ideas on their joint activities in the area of ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance). These concerned activities on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), passive radar, cognitive radar processing, hyperspectral sensor analysis, drone detection, and modern camouflage. Furthermore, the first promising results from this year’s various joint research experiments were presented and discussed. At the end of the workshop, the participants visited the laboratories of the specialist areas Communication and Electromagnetic Protection as well as Sensory Technology of armasuisse S+T.

Transnational cooperation between procurement agencies and research institutes

The research cooperation between Germany and Switzerland in the ISTAR area is based on four technical agreements between the two procurement agencies, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement and the Federal Office for Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). This research cooperation aims to use synergies as well as promote the exchange of knowledge, for example in the form of joint assessments of research sensors in the field. On the Swiss side, the contributions are coordinated by the two research programs Reconnaissance and Surveillance and Communication of armasuisse S+T. On the German side, the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Information Technology and Electronics in Greding and the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Protective and Special Technologies in Oberjettenberg are responsible for the research cooperation. Researchers from the Universities of Berne and Zurich as well as researchers from three Fraunhofer Institutes are involved in the cooperation. The scientific project managers participating from armasuisse S+T ensure the transfer of knowledge. They take part in the annual workshop and are involved in binational research projects and experiments.

The next workshop will take place in November 2023 in Germany and will by organised by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation (IOSB) from Ettlingen (Germany).