Establishing a representative Network of Users (NoU) of future EU GOVSATCOM services, to foster effective exchange of information and long-term collaboration, has been a key premise underlying the ENTRUSTED project rationale. The network was established in September 2020 with the official launch of the ENTRUSTED project. Initial members of the NoU comprise organisations representing EU Member States, as well as EU institutions and agencies, which form the ENTRUSTED consortium.
Participation of Member States in the NoU is essential, as they represent potential beneficiaries of secure SatCom services for governmental use. EU institutions and agencies also play an important role in the NoU, as technology or service providers, experts, representatives of user communities, or potential users of EU GOVSATCOM services.
Members of the NoU work together to raise awareness on the EU GOVSATCOM initiative among potential governmental users, both civil and military, and other relevant stakeholders. They will contribute to the consolidation of governmental and institutional user needs, operational requirements, and to the definition of current and evolving use cases for secure SatCom. The NoU will identify training needs among users, develop educational activities, and organise field tests to demonstrate secure SatCom capabilities. Finally, the NoU will engage in a debate on required user technology developments and effective investments across the EU in the area of governmental satellite communication. In this way, the Network will foster the uptake of EU GOVSATCOM services.
Activities of the NoU are coordinated by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), which manages the exchange of information and organises meetings. It is anticipated that the network will expand to ensure the representation of users from of other Member States and relevant organisations with an interest in secure SatCom. In time, the NoU will encompass all ENTRUSTED project partners and external collaborators.
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