IDEAS joins SPIRIT, a European Defence Fund project to develop the next generation of sovereign infrared image sensors

Integrated Detector Electronics AS (IDEAS) is one of two Norwegian companies selected for SPIRIT, a €39 million European initiative to build a fully European supply chain for high-resolution infrared sensors.

We are proud to announce our participation in SPIRIT (Small Pitch Improved Resolution for Infrared Technology), a strategic European project selected under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 2025 call for technologies for optronic sensors. Coordinated by LYNRED (France), the project brings together 15 partners from 9 European countries, covering the entire value chain from readout integrated circuit (ROIC) design to camera demonstration. SPIRIT has a total estimated cost of €39.16 million and will receive a maximum EU contribution of nearly €29 million. The project is scheduled to start at the end of 2026 and will run for four years.

A sovereign European supply chain for infrared technology

Building on the EDF-funded HEROIC (2021) and ECOSYSTEM (2023) projects, SPIRIT will bring European CMOS-based infrared sensor technology to operational maturity (TRL 6). The consortium will build and deliver infrared image sensors using an advanced CMOS process for high-performance ROICs. The goal is resolutions of 3 megapixels or more and a pixel pitch below 7 µm, supported by a sovereign EU-based supply chain. The sensors will be integrated into camera prototypes tested under real operating conditions, for applications including missile detection, drone detection, naval applications and camouflage detection. These innovations will give European defence forces extended detection ranges, improved counter-UAS capability and easier system upgrades.

Norwegian expertise at the heart of European defence technology

IDEAS and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS are the two Norwegian members of the consortium, placing Norwegian technology at the core of a European defence programme. For IDEAS, SPIRIT is a natural continuation of its contribution to the HEROIC project, where the company worked alongside European partners on the next generation of European ROICs for infrared sensors. IDEAS will contribute its core expertise in the design of full-custom integrated circuits and ROICs for radiation detection and imaging. Our technology has extensive flight heritage from space missions with all major space agencies around the world, underscoring the quality of our products.