Navantia along with Spanish Navy invite defense industries to brainstorm future escort vessels.

On September 17 2020, the Spanish Navy and Navantia invite the Spanish Defense industry to participate in this event in which the 4E project will be presented. This project aims to design and develop the essential elements (equipment and systems) that will be of common use in future European escort ships.
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Event picture. (Picture source: Navantia)

The 4E does not intend to build a specific ship but rather is presented as a block of “systems” that will be included in the European escorts of the future. These "systems" have been developed by carrying out a technology foresight exercise. The initiative must be formally presented in 2021 to the EU military committee.

Navantia and the Navy have already identified a series of systems with greater capacity for improvement and technological innovation.

Within the combat system, for example, they mention the comprehensive anti-missile defense system, the anti-torpedo defense system, the command and control systems for UXV -a ship designed to operate and recover a swarm of unmanned vehicles- or the knowledge system and exploitation of the electromagnetic environment.

In communication systems, the three areas of interest are the tactical cloud and systems for operating in degraded environments; the European data link; and the submarine communication system.

Regarding the platform control system, the project focuses on the power plant and energy storage, the reduction of detectability and the improvement of auxiliary systems: damage control and unattended systems, among others.

Finally, in the navigation system, the idea is to advance the independence of satellite positioning systems.