First Flagship project for defense innovation
Subsea data and power cables, pipelines, and offshore energy infrastructure are increasingly being targeted due to rising geopolitical tensions. However, there is currently very little technology available to continuously monitor activities at critical locations below the water’s surface. ORCAS, Offshore Resilient Cables and Asset Shielding, aims to change this and develop new knowledge and technology to protect critical underwater infrastructure.
Detect and respond to potential threats more quickly
The project investigates how various sensor technologies—including hydrophones, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) on fiber-optic cables, multibeam and side-scan sonars, and autonomous vessels—can be combined into an integrated system for underwater situational awareness. Through the use of artificial intelligence, advanced data fusion, and change-detection techniques, anomalies and potential threats around critical offshore assets are detected, classified, and tracked more quickly.
A key component of ORCAS is the deployment of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) that can autonomously conduct inspections based on detected anomalies. In addition, the project is investigating how underwater detection can be integrated into existing maritime command-and-control environments, such as the Maritime Information Hub (MIK), so that operators can make faster and better-informed decisions.
Increased resilience
With its combination of underwater acoustics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and operational integration, ORCAS contributes to increased resilience of critical maritime infrastructure and strengthens the technological foundation for future defense and security solutions in the North Sea. The 36-month project will begin on September 1. The partners are: GEOxyz (coordinator), e-BO Enterprises, Fluves, Kapernikov, the Royal Military Academy (RMA), the Flemish Institute for the Sea (VLIZ), and the University of Antwerp (IDLab).
Flagship within VISD
Flanders is committed to defense and security innovation. Through the Flemish Innovation and Industry Strategy for Security and Defense (VISD), the annual budget will grow from 15 million euros in 2026 to nearly 50 million euros per year by 2029. In addition to innovation grants through VLAIO defense R&D, additional funding for defense-related basic research (FWO SBO), and the Flemish Defense Fund, VISD invests in large-scale flagship projects that raise the international profile of Flemish defense innovation. The budget will increase from 5 million euros in 2026 to 16,5 million euros per year by 2029. For companies, this means access to strong partnerships and a stronger position in European and NATO programs.
