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Portugal showcases its naval industry with AED Cluster Portugal
At Euronaval 2026, AED Cluster Portugal will coordinate the national pavilion, showcasing the breadth of expertise across Portugal’s naval industry. From naval engineering and autonomous systems to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), secure communications and maintenance, the cluster aims to bring together industry, researchers and international partners.
© AED Cluster Portugal
Established in 2016, AED Cluster Portugal is the country’s aeronautics, space and defence industry cluster. It brings together companies, R&T organisations, universities and public institutions. Its mission is to foster cooperation and innovation, support the industry’s international development and help connect organisations with partners offering expertise and industrial capabilities in Portugal.
“At Euronaval 2026, the cluster will coordinate the Portuguese pavilion to highlight the range of expertise Portugal has to offer in maritime defence. Our pavilion will give international visitors and partners an opportunity to connect with the companies and organisations that make up Portugal’s maritime defence industry,” says a representative of AED Cluster Portugal.
Expertise spanning the entire value chain
AED Cluster Portugal’s more than 180 members bring together expertise from across the defence value chain. In the maritime sector, their capabilities range from naval and systems engineering to communications and command and control (C2).
The cluster also promotes Portuguese expertise in maritime surveillance and ISR, autonomous and unmanned maritime systems, unmanned aircraft systems and underwater acoustics. Artificial intelligence is also used in maritime safety applications.
In addition, the industry has capabilities in equipment monitoring, diagnostics and predictive maintenance technologies, electrical systems and cabling, software, advanced simulation and secure connectivity.
On the production and support side, its expertise includes precision tooling, advanced manufacturing, maintenance, modernisation and support throughout the lifecycle of systems.
Facilitating new partnerships
AED Cluster Portugal does more than showcase individual areas of expertise. It also seeks to identify opportunities for collaboration across disciplines and match these capabilities with emerging needs.
Technologies developed for the aeronautics, space and defence industries — including autonomy, sensor fusion, secure communications, data analysis, and material and systems integration — can also be applied to maritime surveillance, operational safety and the development of future naval systems.
This approach brings together manufacturers, researchers and operational users, helping to turn emerging technologies into practical solutions that meet specific needs.
Portugal also offers an environment for testing new maritime technologies. REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems), an exercise organised by the Portuguese Navy, brings together industry, technology specialists and military personnel to explore emerging maritime technologies, particularly unmanned systems, in a multinational operational setting.
For AED Cluster Portugal, initiatives such as REPMUS help bridge the gap between technology developers and end users, while showcasing the industrial capabilities that could support future maritime defence programmes.
The Portuguese pavilion: a gateway to new partnerships
At Euronaval, the Portuguese pavilion will be the cluster’s main international showcase. But AED Cluster Portugal wants it to be more than an exhibition space for technologies and expertise: it should also bring Portuguese companies and international partners together.
“Meetings, networking opportunities and introductions will help identify complementary capabilities, facilitate the participation of Portuguese companies in international programmes and supply chains, and ultimately foster lasting industrial partnerships,” says AED Cluster Portugal, which sees the exhibition as an opportunity to do more than simply raise the profile of Portuguese industry. “The exhibition should bring Portuguese capabilities together with the needs of international partners, with the aim of turning these contacts into long-term industrial cooperation.”
- Pascal Samama
