Athanasios Tsakalos – VICTORIOUS

EDF VICTORIOUS Project Showcased at EUROSATORY 2026

Posted on 17.06.202617.06.2026 by Athanasios Tsakalos

Paris, June 2026 – The EDF-funded project VICTORIOUS was presented at EUROSATORY 2026, one of the world’s leading international defence and security exhibitions, through the booth of AKMON, the project coordinator.

The presence of VICTORIOUS at EUROSATORY formed part of the project’s dissemination and stakeholder engagement activities, providing an important opportunity to present the project’s progress, objectives, and expected operational relevance to a wide defence audience.

Throughout the exhibition, the project attracted the interest of key stakeholders, military officials, industry representatives, and potential end-users, enabling constructive exchanges on emerging operational needs and future artillery support capabilities.

VICTORIOUS focuses on indirect fire support observation, a critical process for acquiring, relaying, and exploiting information on enemy targets and the effectiveness of indirect fire support. The project proposes a Next Generation observation system dedicated to artillery and indirect fire support, aiming to enable defence stakeholders to locate and receive timely information on the exact position and nature of battlefield events.

The participation at EUROSATORY 2026 further strengthened the project’s visibility within the European defence ecosystem and supported its ongoing dissemination, communication, and exploitation objectives.

EDF VICTORIOUS Participates in EDF BATTLEVERSE 1st Plenary Meeting in Athens through a Dedicated Clustering Event

Posted on 05.06.202605.06.2026 by Athanasios Tsakalos

The VICTORIOUS project actively participated in the 1st Plenary Meeting of the EDF BATTLEVERSE project, held in Athens on 27–28 May 2026 and co-organised by CERTH and AKMON.

As part of the event, VICTORIOUS was featured in a dedicated clustering session aimed at exploring synergies between the two projects and identifying opportunities for knowledge exchange and future collaboration. The activity forms part of VICTORIOUS "Assessment of Potential for Scale-Up and Technology Roadmap", supporting the evaluation of pathways through which VICTORIOUS outcomes can be further exploited and integrated into complementary European initiatives.

Representatives of AKMON, CERTH and INESC TEC, organisations participating in both projects, presented key technological developments and discussed how VICTORIOUS capabilities can contribute to the broader vision of BATTLEVERSE for AI-enabled, multi-domain military simulations and decision-support environments. The exchange provided valuable insights into interoperability requirements, future exploitation opportunities, and the potential integration of advanced sensing, data fusion, and intelligent decision-support technologies across both project ecosystems.

The VICTORIOUS consortium remains committed to fostering collaboration with relevant European defence research initiatives, maximising the impact of project results, and strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.

EDF VICTORIOUS Partners Convene in Athens for Technical Meeting and Interoperability Workshop

Posted on 03.06.202605.06.2026 by Athanasios Tsakalos

The VICTORIOUS consortium successfully gathered in Athens, Greece, on 28–29 May 2026 for a two-day Technical Meeting and Interoperability Workshop hosted by the Project Coordinator, AKMON SA.

The meeting brought together project partners to review technical progress, align ongoing development activities, and advance the integration of the project's technological modules. Discussions focused on interoperability, data exchange mechanisms, sensor integration, communications, detection pipelines, data fusion, security, and overall system architecture, supporting the project's objective of delivering a next-generation UxV-enabled observation system for indirect fire operations.

A key highlight of the event was the dedicated clustering activity between VICTORIOUS and the EDF-funded BATTLEVERSE project. The session explored opportunities to leverage synergies between the two initiatives and examined pathways for transferring knowledge and operational insights. Given that AKMON, CERTH, and INESC TEC participate in both projects, the workshop provided a valuable platform for identifying areas of mutual benefit and collaboration. The clustering activity directly contributes to VICTORIOUS Task "Assessment of Potential for Scale-Up and Technology Roadmap", by investigating how selected VICTORIOUS technologies and outcomes can be further exploited and integrated within the broader BATTLEVERSE ecosystem.

Through this exchange, both projects aim to strengthen their technological impact, accelerate innovation uptake, and maximise the value of European defence research investments. Throughout the two-day workshop, partners engaged in detailed technical discussions covering UGV-UAV integration, optical communications and alignment systems, edge computing and sensor interfaces, communications architecture, multi-sensor detection pipelines, algorithmic fusion, intelligence platform integration, blockchain-enabled security mechanisms, and end-to-end system interoperability.

The meeting concluded with the definition of an action plan and technical milestones that will guide the consortium's activities during the next implementation phase. The VICTORIOUS consortium remains committed to fostering collaboration across the European defence research landscape and promoting synergies with complementary initiatives in order to maximise operational relevance, technological maturity, and future exploitation potential.

VICTORIOUS EDF Project Welcomes HCDI Representative at AKMON SA Premises

Posted on 01.06.202605.06.2026 by Athanasios Tsakalos

The European Defence Fund (EDF) project VICTORIOUS recently welcomed the representative of the Hellenic Center for Defence Innovation (HCDI), the national focal point for EDF in Greece, Colonel (Artillery) Ioannis Vakondios, at the premises of the Project Coordinator, AKMON SA. Colonel Vakondios has been designated as the liaison manager between the VICTORIOUS consortium and the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence, under which HCDI operates institutionally.

During the visit, Colonel Vakondios was briefed on the project’s operational objectives, technological architecture and key innovation modules supporting advanced indirect fire support operations and simulation-driven training environments.

Particular emphasis was placed on the role of the Forward Observer and the way VICTORIOUS aims to optimise operational effectiveness, situational awareness and decision-making during indirect fire support missions.

Given Colonel Vakondios’ professional background and close association with Hellenic Army artillery units, the discussions reflected a strong operational understanding of the project’s practical value and potential operational impact.

The VICTORIOUS consortium highly appreciated the constructive exchange and HCDI’s continued interest in innovative defence technologies contributing to the enhancement of operational capabilities and the strengthening of both the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base and the Hellenic defence ecosystem.

The project partners actively engage with operational end users like the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence and HCDI, ensuring that the project’s technological objectives align with the evolving operational requirements and battlefield realities of today.

EDF VICTORIOUS Project Presented at BATTLEFIELD ReDEFiNED 2026 in Nicosia

Posted on 01.04.202601.04.2026 by Athanasios Tsakalos

The VICTORIOUS project, funded under the European Defence Fund (EDF), was presented at the international defence and security conference-exhibition BATTLEFIELD ReDEFiNED 2026, held in Nicosia, Republic of Cyprus.

The project was represented by the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence of the University of Cyprus, alongside the Project Coordinator AKMON S.A., as part of its dissemination and communication activities. The presentation focused on the project’s technological developments in support of Indirect Fire Support operations, including artillery, mortars and rocket systems used to engage targets beyond line of sight.

These operations traditionally rely on Forward Observers operating under high-risk conditions in complex battlefield environments. In modern operational contexts, Forward Observers face critical challenges related to exposure to hostile fire, vulnerabilities in communications, limited situational awareness and increased operational burden. VICTORIOUS addresses these challenges through an integrated technological approach combining AI-enabled data processing, the use of unmanned systems (UxVs), wireless charging capabilities and secure real-time data transmission.

This approach aims to enhance targeting precision, improve personnel survivability and increase overall operational tempo. Participation in BATTLEFIELD ReDEFiNED 2026 provided a valuable platform to showcase the project’s objectives and engage with stakeholders from the European defence industry, research community and operational end-users. The VICTORIOUS project continues to contribute to the development of innovative solutions aligned with the evolving needs of modern armed forces, strengthening Europe’s defence and technological capabilities.

University of Cyprus Presents the VICTORIOUS Project to the European Defence Agency

Posted on 28.01.202628.01.2026 by Athanasios Tsakalos

Nicosia, Cyprus – 23 October 2025 - The University of Cyprus (UCY) successfully presented the European Defence Fund (EDF) project VICTORIOUS to Mr. André Denk, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA), during his official visit to the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence on 23 October 2025.

The presentation highlighted the strategic objectives and technical ambition of VICTORIOUS (EDF-2023-LS-RA-DIS-NT), a 36-month EDF project that kicked off in April 2025, with a total budget of €3,999,965.26.

The project focuses on the development of an innovative AI-enhanced, remotely powered indirect fire observation system utilising unmanned vehicles, addressing critical operational needs in modern European defence environments.

During the briefing, UCY showcased its leading role through the KIOS CoE, which is responsible for the Work Package on “Feasibility Studies and Overall Framework Architecture”, contributing core system-level analysis and architectural design to the overall solution.

The project brings together 12 partners from 8 European countries, reflecting the cross-border industrial and research cooperation promoted under the European Defence Fund.

Mr. Denk was briefed on how VICTORIOUS integrates artificial intelligence, unmanned systems and advanced architectural frameworks to enhance situational awareness and support indirect fire operations.

The visit and presentation reaffirmed UCY’s and KIOS CoE’s active contribution to EU-level defence research and capability development, as well as their commitment to supporting the objectives of the European Defence Agency through high-impact, collaborative R&D initiatives.

EDF VICTORIOUS Project Holds Technical Meeting in Porto

Posted on 02.12.202502.12.2025 by Athanasios Tsakalos

Porto, Portugal | 18–19 November 2025 - Partners of the European Defence Fund (EDF) VICTORIOUS project gathered in Porto for a two-day technical meeting hosted by INESCTEC at the CRAS facilities in ISEP, advancing work on next-generation indirect-fire observation technologies.

The meeting followed the official agenda, while during the meeting, participants also had the opportunity to tour INESCTEC’s research facilities, gaining firsthand insight into the cutting-edge laboratories and capabilities supporting the project’s technical activities.

In particular, the first day focused on progress in system design and disruptive submodules.

Day two highlighted developments in AI, XR, blockchain, and the integration roadmap. Partners also reviewed the methodology for testing and validating the project’s technological demonstrator.

Partners also reviewed the methodology for testing and validating the project’s technological demonstrator. The Porto meeting marked a key step in synchronizing technical efforts across the consortium as VICTORIOUS progresses toward subsystem integration and upcoming evaluation activities.

Ultimately, the VICTORIOUS project embodies the EU’s ambition to strengthen European strategic autonomy through cross-border cooperation, pooling industrial and research capabilities from multiple Member States to develop advanced defence technologies.

Field Data Collection Activity

Posted on 10.11.202513.11.2025 by Athanasios Tsakalos

VICTORIOUS | Field Data Collection Activity

Between 3–4 November 2025, AKMON S.A. successfully conducted a field data collection activity at the Hellenic Armed Forces’ Shooting Range in Megara, in cooperation with the Artillery School of the Hellenic Army. The exercise involved recording artillery explosions and indirect fire events using electro-optical (EO) day cameras, infrared (IR) cameras, and drone systems.

The scenario was specifically designed for the training of future Forward Observers, ensuring high operational realism. The collected material provides valuable input for the creation of the datasets required under the VICTORIOUS project, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of subsequent AI-based modeling, training, and validation activities. This comprehensive dataset adds substantial operational and analytical value to the VICTORIOUS project, supporting the development of AI-driven detection, classification, and situational awareness algorithms. The inclusion of forward-observer-centered scenarios ensures that the resulting datasets are both technically robust and tactically relevant. The operation was executed safely and successfully, contributing significantly to the project’s overall technical objectives and validation roadmap.