The German Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) is currently running a market survey involving 30 company offers for digital battlefields. According to the newspaper Handelsblatt, the focus of these software solutions is the automated evaluation of data generated in combat zones, with the information being analyzed in real-time using artificial intelligence.
Vice Admiral Thomas Daum, Inspector for Cyberspace and Information Space, told Handelsblatt that the Bundeswehr plans to begin testing these first solutions next year. He expressed optimism about the process, stating, “The market research is underway, and I am optimistic that we will be able to present a prototype in the second quarter of 2027.”
AI-supported systems are already being deployed in the conflict in Ukraine to counter Russian invaders. However, the US company Palantir, a leading provider in this field, is excluded from the projects due to concerns over sovereignty. This exclusion is partly related to Palantir’s close ties to the US government under President Donald Trump.
Vice Admiral Daum anticipates that a complete alternative to Palantir will be operational by mid-2028. The majority of the companies selected for the survey are German, including the sensor specialist Hensoldt, which is collaborating with the AI defense startup Helsing. French provider Chapsvision is one of the few exceptions.
Daum has not yet detailed the final cost of the systems, though he believes the expenditures will remain within a “realistic framework.” For comparison, the contract with Palantir in the United States for Maven began in 2024 at $480 million, a budget that the Pentagon recently expanded to nearly $1.3 billion through 2029.
