It was a packed schedule for the 14 members of Naval Group’s Scientific Council. All from the world of academia, their collective role is to guide the group in its choices with regard to technological breakthroughs. This edition invited them to discuss whether or not it would be in Naval Group’s interests, given the group’s scientific and technical strategic plan, to invest further on the themes of applied mathematics and scientific computing, on the one hand, and quantum physics in defence, on the other.
“Acoustic and electromagnetic signatures and vessel resistance are all governed by physical models for which we need new mathematical methods for more effective estimations”, explains Aymeric Bonnaud, Scientific Director of Naval Group. “The POEMS laboratory, a joint research unit of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), attached to a project team from the National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (Inria) Saclay Centre and another of the Applied Mathematics Unit of ENSTA also shared feedback on their work. They also talked about their resources and collaborative working methods, all of which are key to success and could inspire the launch of other research projects, such as quantum physics.” There is current talk of a second quantum revolution in this field. It therefore makes perfect sense for Naval Group to assess the relevance of the field of applications and the new avenues it may open. “We are considering how this revolution could impact the effectiveness of the detection systems and therefore the signatures of our ships, and possibly the way in which they are designed”, explains Aymeric Bonnaud. “We also need to look into how we are going to approach the subject from an organisational point of view?” The Scientific Council, who can be relied on to share openly, is expected to provide valuable insights into this other theme. “This is one of the advantages of this type of meet: frankly sharing their assessment of the pros and cons, dead ends to be abandoned, and opportunities to be seized.”