DURATION: 01.06.2025 to 30.11.2028

BUDGET: 660.027,15 € / 3.969.852,56 € 

FUNDING:  European Defence Fund – Research actions on disruptive technologies (EDF 2023 LS RA DIS)

ABOUT S.W.I.F.T

Supplying safe water is one of the major logistical challenges for troops in the field. S.W.I.F.T. pioneers a disruptive approach to water management for modular field camps, combining advanced treatment technologies with efficient energy management.

Emerging processes will be integrated with AI powered solutions, such as digital twins so that deployed units can monitor the water-energy flows through all cycles in remote (and possibly hostile) environments, greatly reducing dependence in external supplies, and thus minimizing risk and increasing sustainability.

Specifically, the project concentrates on exploring the potential of emerging water reuse concepts and technologies, including, but not restricted to, graphene-based treatment technologies and advanced photocatalytic processes, to provide clean and safe water for personnel in various often harsh operational environments.

KEY OBJECTIVES

The key objectives of SWIFT project are to:

• Enhance operational capabilities – closed loop water systems within camps will result to lesser dependence on external supply convoys, increasing the “up time” of deployments.
• Achieve near total water self sufficiency – on site treatment and reuse will cover more than 95 % of daily drinking, hygiene and service water needs.
• Guarantee health & safety – cutting edge treatment plus a portable “lab in a box” will ensure every drop meets the strictest EU standards.
• Energy Saving – integrated water and power design targets at least 20 % lower electricity demand and camp fuel consumption.
• Enhance operational resilience – technologies will be stress tested so safe water keeps flowing under extreme operational conditions.

This consortium brings together 11 partners from 6 countries (Greece, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands) that bring complementary expertise in water engineering, advanced materials, AI, defence logistics, monitoring technologies, energy management, and field operations.

OUR ROLE IN THE PROJECT

NTUA is the project’s coordinator, guiding the scientific and technical work, managing risks, quality, intellectual property rights (IPR) as well as defence grade data governance. At the same time, NTUA will:

• Document and assess current field water management practice across Europe.
• Identify the critical gaps where disruptive technologies are needed,
• Craft a forward looking roadmap—together with defence stakeholders—that shapes the development, testing and eventual deployment of S.W.I.F.T. solutions.
• Investigate the potential integration of rainwater harvesting system in field camps.
• Develop a technology library, which will serve as a repository for the project’s innovations.
• Develop an AI-based smart-planning agent and a field camp simulator, which will allow for the optimal design of water systems and services for field camps.