Tell us more about the Leonardo Innovation Hub.

“The Leonardo Innovation Hub is the heart of innovation and cross-divisional collaboration within the group for low TRL [technology readiness level] technologies. We operate six Strategic Research Laboratories where we incubate and develop technologies for both short- and long-term research and development, supporting Leonardo’s growth and competitiveness.”

How do the different technology areas – quantum, optronics, advanced materials, robotics, autonomous systems and power – work together within the hub?

“Leonardo is a multidomain company with a strong presence in both defence and civil applications. The hub acts as the group’s technical advisor, transforming disruptive technologies into business opportunities. To achieve this, we ensure strategic alignment across the organisation, promote technology intelligence and technology transfer, and maintain a strong focus on sustainable innovation. This requires a collaborative environment and a co-development mindset across all technology domains.”

What are some of the key R&D achievements you’ll be presenting for defence applications?

“A short presentation cannot cover everything, but we will highlight two or three key projects that we are currently leading. For each project, we will present the research drivers, selected results achieved so far, and the value generated for Leonardo as a group.”

Given your background in composite materials, what advances are you seeing in CFRP structures for aerospace and defence use?

“Although CFRPs [carbon fibre-reinforced polymers] are already well established in aerospace and defence applications, I believe there is still significant room for improvement. Their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance continue to drive their adoption. From a scientific and technological perspective, innovation remains constant: new reinforcements, manufacturing processes, alternative designs, and resin systems are continuously being developed. In a field where innovation continues to thrive, the opportunities for future applications are limitless.”

How does your research into biomimetics and nanomaterials feed into next-generation defence capabilities?

“Nature has inspired some of the most significant innovations throughout human history; aircraft wings inspired by birds, wind turbine blades influenced by humpback whale fins, bullet trains shaped by the kingfisher’s beak, and underwater communication systems inspired by dolphins are just a few examples of biomimicry. Defence has always been a demanding environment, and I strongly believe that nature can teach us how to further improve our technologies and expand our capabilities.

“Nanomaterials represent a relatively new field compared with more mature engineering disciplines. While we do not yet fully understand the full extent of their potential applications, this should encourage investment to continue evaluating their performance across different domains and further investigate their potential contribution to future defence capabilities.”

What’s the process for moving a technology from research within the hub through to real-world defence application?

“The hub is composed of professionals with extensive experience in research, innovation, business development and project management. Every innovation follows a structured process including understanding operational and market needs, aligning with the relevant divisions, developing a complete proof-of-concept, co-developing deployment strategies and business models, facilitating technology transfer, and providing end-to-end support through to market introduction.”

How does work developed for defence applications also benefit civil aerospace, or vice versa?

“In general, the Leonardo Innovation Hub develops technologies using a ‘handle-as-one’ approach. This means that we do not separate technologies based on their application environment; instead, we focus on transversal innovation, enabling different divisions to benefit from shared technologies either fully or through targeted adaptations.”

What emerging technology area within the hub’s remit do you think will have the biggest impact on defence capability in the coming years?

“The answer depends on the perspective from which the question is viewed. We are living in an era where technological advancement is progressing at an unprecedented pace, requiring a shift in mind-set. Emerging capability is no longer driven by a single breakthrough technology but by the combination of multiple technologies working together. In my view, multidisciplinary integration is the key to deliver impactful and transformative defence capabilities in the years ahead.”