EU moves to build sovereign military data-sharing platform by 2030

European Union institutions have begun assessing ways for European armed forces and defence authorities to exchange sensitive information securely without relying on US infrastructure, according to a new presentation prepared by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and reviewed by Euractiv.

The documents reveal that the EDA intends to develop a military-grade data-sharing platform that would become fully operational by 2030. The project, known as the European Defence Artificial Intelligence Data Space (DAIDS), is designed to allow EU member states to share defence-related data securely through a dedicated and sovereign system.

At present, EU countries select data storage and sharing providers based on national preferences, resulting in a fragmented landscape of suppliers and the absence of a common secure platform for information exchange.

The idea of creating a unified system was first introduced by the European Commission in its Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap published last year, which called for a “trusted, secure, and interoperable data environment.” The EDA, as an intergovernmental EU defence body, has since taken on the task of turning this concept into reality.

Strengthening sovereign defence technology

As the European Union increasingly reassesses its dependence on the United States, safeguarding defence data has become a growing priority for European militaries and defence institutions. Many countries currently rely on foreign — particularly US-made — digital infrastructure to store and share sensitive information, creating risks linked to dependency and potential security vulnerabilities.

To address these concerns, two interconnected initiatives are being developed. The first is the Defence Data Space itself, described in the documents as an “EU-wide federated framework designed to enable trusted, secure and sovereign sharing of defence-relevant data.”

Alongside this effort, EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has urged governments to begin work on creating a sovereign military cloud.

While closely linked, the two projects can operate independently. The cloud would serve as the storage infrastructure for data, while the data space would enable secure bilateral and multilateral information exchanges among countries.

The documents outline several objectives for establishing the Defence Data Space, including faster decision-making through shared national data, improved interoperability among EU member states, and enhanced “operational readiness.”

European leaders have also identified military artificial intelligence as a priority investment area to strengthen the continent’s defence capabilities.

The EDA is coordinating with the European Commission to ensure that the various initiatives connected to the data space complement one another and avoid overlapping efforts.

Path toward implementation by 2030

To advance the project, the EDA has hired a consortium of three companies: France’s CEA, France’s Cloud Data Engine, and the European technology firm SopraSteria.

The next phase will focus on encouraging EU countries to coordinate their procurement of technologies that comply with the future European data space standards.

According to the planning documents, between 2029 and 2030, the DAIDS platform is expected to be fully integrated into the everyday operations of European armies and defence authorities. It is also intended to be used in military missions and training exercises.

For now, the project remains at the “study level,” one participant involved in the programme said.

By Tamilla Hasanova