The Radar and Surveillance Systems Laboratory in a nutshell
The Radar and Surveillance Systems (RaSS) is a National Laboratory of the National Interuniversity Consortium for Telecommunications (CNIT). CNIT is a no-profit consortium composed of 44 Research Units (38 Italian Universities, 7 Departments of the National Research Council-CNR) and 6 National Laboratories (https://www.cnit.it/en/).
The RaSS Lab was founded in 2010 with the purpose of creating a critical mass to face research challenges in the field of radar and applied electromagnetics. Today, RaSS counts 32 people among researchers, technical and administrative staff.
The RaSS Lab has participated in several national and international research projects (often as leader), funded by the Italian MoD (Ministry of defence), EDA (European Defence Agency), MIUR (Ministry of Education), MISE (Ministry of Economic Development), EU FP7, EU H2020, ESA (European Space Agency), EOARD (European Office of Aerospace Research and Development), NATO SPS (Science for Peace and Security), NCIA (NATO Communications and Intelligence Agency), ARMASUISSE, ASI (Italian Space Agency), Tuscany Region, Industries like LEONARDO, MBDA, VITROCISET, INTERMARINE, GEM, E-GEOS, TELEDYNE, among others.
RaSS strives to maintain, and when possible to increase, the quality and excellence of the research activities and the results achieved. At the same time, it seeks to strengthen and consolidate its structure and to invest in basic research in new promising areas.
RaSS places itself between academia and industry with the aim to fill the gap existing between them. Many research projects that have been carried out at RaSS have led to the development of fully integrated demonstrators with TRLs between 5 and 6.
RaSS also focuses its effort on dissemination activities, including journal and book publications, presentations at international conferences, training activities under the form of short courses, tutorials, seminars and lectures for industry, government and various research institutions.
RaSS values all its collaborations nationally and internationally, counting today more than 50 partners across, industry, academia and both government and non-government research institutions.
RaSS has a strong participation in both the NATO and the European Defence Agency (EDA) contexts, where its personnel hold key roles within Panels and CapTechs.
RaSS is strongly involved and participates in research and experimental activities at the JCC lab. “Ugo Tiberio”, a joint Italian navy CSSN and CNIT laboratory.