By George Fakinos

The Unmanned Semi-fixed Sea Platforms for maritime Surveillance (USSPS) program, in which Greece actively participates through ETME, represents one of the most ambitious and innovative links in the European defense and shipbuilding chain.

In an interview with Naftemporiki, the company's CEO, Antonis Peppas, stated: "USSP is a new type of technology and, in essence, the first of its kind."

"It is not a vessel in the classical sense, but a floating platform integrated into defense planning as infrastructure.

It can remain permanently in one place, while also being repositioned to other areas, offering significant flexibility in defense planning."

This hybrid character – between fixed infrastructure and mobile platform – is what makes it so innovative and unique in the market.

It is perhaps the only defense infrastructure that has a very strong correlation with shipbuilding, as it not only provides information and security at sea, but also involves maritime services throughout its entire life cycle.

The European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), on the other hand, is of enormous importance for Greece, as it is the first European co-development programme in defence between states and companies.

Structural change

It lays the foundations for cross-border cooperation, joint development of defence technologies, knowledge exchange and the creation of joint business ventures.

This is a structural change in the way defence capabilities are developed at the European level, and could make Greece a leading player in the defence armaments chessboard.

Asked what the Greek shipbuilding industry gains from the USSPS, he replied: "The benefits are numerous. Jobs are created, and know-how is produced that contributes dynamically to the sector.

In the medium term, there can be stability and predictability in economic activity, as we aspire to make Greece a manufacturing base for USSPS. This creates the conditions for a more sustainable future.

In the medium to long term, a new technological base of capabilities is being formed, which can lead to many different development paths, all with a strong positive impact."

He added that the project is indicative of the possibilities that exist, both for Greece and its technological base, and for the company itself.

"For a Greek SME, building a platform of such size and complexity is in itself a significant achievement, which opens up very substantial prospects for growth and development."