Ceremonial Signing of the Contract between the Slovenian MoD and the Industry–Research Consortium / Svečan podpis pogodbe med MORS in slovenskim industrijsko-raziskovalnim konzorcijem

22. 10. 2025 / GOV & NGOs, Industry, Project announcements IOS-BLS: A Step Forward towards Technological Excellence and Defence Sovereignty of the Republic of Slovenia / IOS-BLS – korak naprej k tehnološki odličnosti in obrambni suverenosti Republike Slovenije

On 22 October 2025, at the SIDEC fair, Mr Tomi Ilijaš, Director of Arctur, and Mr Borut Sajovic, Minister of Defence, formally signed a contract for the implementation of the research and development project IOS-BLS. The primary objective of the project is the development of modular, intelligent, and rapidly upgradeable unmanned aerial systems, thereby strengthening the defence, technological, and research capabilities of the Republic of Slovenia.

Project Partners and Their Roles:

• Arctur d.o.o. (Lead Partner): Responsible for overall project coordination, integration of hardware and software components, and the development of the prototype airborne computer.
• University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Computer and Information Science (UL FRI): Developing artificial intelligence algorithms for situational awareness and autonomous operation in signal-disrupted environments.
• AFormX d.o.o.: Tasked with the manufacture and integration of aviation components and the execution of flight tests.
• University of Maribor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (UM FS): Developing aerodynamic models and structural solutions, and contributing to the testing and validation of outcomes.

 

The project aims to enhance research and development capacity while promoting the transfer of knowledge between academic institutions and industry. It leverages the scientific excellence of UL FRI in artificial intelligence and computer vision, the supercomputing infrastructure and development competencies of Arctur, the prototyping and manufacturing capabilities of AFormX, and the numerical simulation expertise of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maribor.

The IOS-BLS project is structured into three interrelated work packages, collectively contributing to the development of key technological competencies for future generations of intelligent unmanned systems:

As part of the first work package, a modular container prototype incorporating an airborne computer is being developed for installation on the underwing pylon of an existing aircraft. The AI-powered computer enables passive self-defence decision-making and autonomous operation, even under conditions of signal disruption. The outcome of this phase is a fully functional prototype with demonstrated capabilities in threat detection and assessment.

The second work package focuses on the design and development of an aerodynamically shaped winged object (KPAO), constructed from composite materials and engineered using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Flight tests have confirmed its stability, load-bearing capacity, and safe integration and deployment from the carrier aircraft.

Within the third work package, the team aims to consolidate the knowledge and experience gained from the preceding phases into the conceptual design of intelligent airborne munitions. The result is a comprehensive technical foundation, including specifications, analytical results, and operational protocols, enabling the transition to the next stage of operational system development.

Project Value and Timeline:
The total value of the project is €1,474,426.23 (excluding VAT). Given the ambitious scope, the development – from initial research to prototype testing – must be completed by 31 December 2026. This requires meticulous planning, rapid execution, effective coordination, and close collaboration among all project partners.

Conclusion – Strategic Importance for Slovenia:
IOS-BLS constitutes a strategic investment in national science, advanced technologies, and industrial self-sufficiency. By fostering collaboration between research institutions and industry, the project reinforces Slovenia’s capacity for rapid innovation, responsible adoption of advanced technologies, and long-term resilience of the national defence sector. It lays a foundation for future research, development, and the translation of scientific achievements into practical, secure, and controlled applications in support of the Republic of Slovenia’s national security.

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Danes, dne 22.10.2025,  sta v okviru sejma SIDEC, direktor družbe Arctur g. Tomi Ilijaš in minister za obrambo g. Borut Sajovic, podpisala pogodbo o izvedbi razvojno raziskovalnega projekta IOS BLS. Cilj projekta je razvoj modularnih, inteligentnih in hitro nadgradljivih brezpilotnih letalskih sistemov ter krepitev obrambne, tehnološke in raziskovalne zmogljivosti Republike Slovenije.

Partnerji in njihove vloge:

• Arctur d.o.o. (vodilni partner) – vodi projekt, skrbi za integracijo strojne in programske opreme ter razvoj prototipa letečega računalnika.
• Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za računalništvo in informatiko (UL FRI) – razvija algoritme umetne inteligence za situacijsko zavedanje in avtonomno delovanje v motenem okolju.
• AFormX d.o.o. – odgovoren za izdelavo in integracijo letalskih komponent ter izvedbo preizkusov v zraku.
• Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za strojništvo (UM FS) – razvija aerodinamične modele in konstrukcijske rešitve ter sodeluje pri testiranju in validaciji rezultatov.

 

S projektom krepimo raziskovalno-razvojne zmogljivosti in spodbujamo prenos znanja med univerzami in industrijo. Združujemo znanstveno odličnost UL FRI na področju umetne inteligence in računalniškega vida z razvojnimi kompetencami in superračunalniško infrastrukturo Arcturja, ter letalskim prototipiranjem in proizvodnimi zmogljivostmi podjetja AFormX in kompetencami Fakultete za strojništvo Univerze v Mariboru na področju zahtevnih numeričnih simulacij.

Projekt IOS-BLS poteka v treh medsebojno povezanih delovnih sklopih, ki skupaj vodijo k razvoju ključnih tehnoloških zmogljivosti za prihodnje generacije inteligentnih brezpilotnih sistemov.
V prvem sklopu nastaja modularni prototip kontejnerja z letečim računalnikom, namenjen vgradnji na podkrilni nosilec obstoječega letalnika. Računalnik, podprt z umetno inteligenco, omogoča pasivno samoobrambno odločanje in avtonomno delovanje tudi v pogojih motenih signalov. Rezultat sklopa je funkcionalen prototip z uspešno demonstriranimi sposobnostmi zaznavanja in ocenjevanja groženj.
V drugem sklopu se razvija krilat predmet aerodinamične oblike (KPAO), izdelan iz kompozitnih materialov in oblikovan s pomočjo računalniških simulacij (CFD). Preizkusi v zraku potrjujejo njegovo stabilnost, nosilnost ter varno integracijo in odmet z nosilnega letalnika.
Tretji sklop združuje pridobljene izkušnje v študijo in zasnovo inteligentnega letečega streliva. Rezultat je celovita tehnična podlaga s specifikacijami, analizami in protokoli, ki omogočajo prehod v naslednjo fazo razvoja operativnega sistema.

Vrednost projekta in trajanje
Skupna vrednost projekta znaša 1.474.426,23 EUR (brez DDV), njegova časovnica pa je zelo kratka, saj mora biti celoten razvoj - od raziskav do testiranja prototipov - zaključen do 31. decembra 2026. Projekt zato zahteva natančno načrtovanje, hitro izvedbo, dobro koordinacijo in tesno sodelovanje vseh partnerjev.

Zaključek – pomen za Slovenijo
IOS-BLS predstavlja strateško investicijo v nacionalno znanost, tehnologijo in industrijsko samozadostnost. S povezovanjem raziskovalnih institucij in podjetij krepimo sposobnosti hitrega inoviranja, odgovornega uvajanja naprednih tehnologij ter dolgoročne odpornosti slovenske obrambne industrije. Projekt postavlja temelje za nadaljnje raziskave, razvoj in prenos znanstvenih dosežkov v praktične, varne in nadzorovane rešitve v službi varnosti Republike Slovenije.