Portuguese Air Force visits IPFN
As part of the celebrations marking the 72nd anniversary of the Portuguese Air Force Corps of Electrical Engineers, a visit took place on 9 April to the laboratories operated by IPFN researchers located at the Nuclear and Technological Campus (CTN) of Instituto Superior Técnico. The initiative was organised by IPFN, in partnership with the Electronics and Computer Systems Division of the Portuguese Air Force.
The delegation, consisting of 53 electrical engineers – including active-duty officers, retired and reserve personnel, as well as students from the Portuguese Air Force Academy – was received by Professor Marta Almeida, Vice-President of Técnico for the Management of the Loures Campus, and Bruno Soares Gonçalves, IPFN President. The programme included visits to several laboratories operated by IPFN researchers, notably the Hypersonic Plasma Laboratory and the Laboratory for Accelerators and Radiation Technologies.
During the visit, the Portuguese Air Force acknowledged IPFN’s high technological potential and the excellence of its research. Lt. Col. João Pedro Boita referred to ESTHER – the European Shock-Tube for High-Enthalpy Research – as “one of the most fascinating technologies”, emphasising its relevance for the study of hypersonic trajectories. He also highlighted its applications in the development of advanced materials with potential impact in fields such as cultural heritage.
For the Air Force cadets, ESTHER stood out as a key facility for advancing national aerospace capabilities. Younger visitors also expressed interest in IPFN’s research on graphene, particularly for its applications in stealth coating technologies.
Bruno Gonçalves stated: “The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the IPFN’s cutting-edge research, its broad spectrum of civil and military applications, and to explore collaborative pathways in the domains of Defence and Security.”
This initiative reinforced the importance of aligning scientific research with national strategic needs, encouraging closer collaboration between academic institutions and the armed forces.
