GARUDA: GDTech Commits to a Strategic European Project for the Defence of Tomorrow
GDTech is participating in the European GARUDA project, an initiative supported by the European Defence Fund (EDF) aimed at preparing the next generation of collaborative defence capabilities in Europe.
Coordinated by ONERA, the French aerospace research center, the project brings together eight European partners around a common objective: to develop the foundational architecture of a new generation of autonomous collaborative combat drones (U-CCA). Through an innovative approach combining design and iterative simulation, the consortium aims to create a modular and scalable platform capable of meeting the future operational needs of European defence forces.
The project covers the key early stages of development, including conceptual design to identify the most promising solutions, as well as the preliminary design of the selected concept. This collaborative approach reflects the partners’ commitment to strengthening European technological cooperation in the field of advanced defence systems.
Within the framework of GARUDA, GDTech plays a major technological role. Recognized for its expertise in advanced numerical simulation, the company is responsible for developing reduced-order virtual models that enable the rapid evaluation of the aerodynamic and structural performance of the various concepts under study. GDTech is also involved in the preliminary sizing of the selected solution.
While participating in projects supported by the European Defence Fund is not a first for GDTech, GARUDA holds particular significance due to the strategic role assigned to the company and the scale of its contribution. For this Walloon SME, taking part in a programme identified as strategic by the European Commission alongside leading industry players is a recognition of its expertise and know-how.
Through this project, GDTech reinforces its position as a strategic technological player at the Walloon, Belgian and European levels. GARUDA also represents an opportunity to contribute to the development of future collaborative air defence capabilities while strengthening the role of innovative SMEs within major European research and innovation programmes.
