Lieutenant Colonel Énio Rodrigo Pereira ChambelDirector of the Army’s Centre for Technological Experimentation and Modernisation (CEMTEx), PortugalLieutenant Colonel Énio Chambel currently serves as Director of the Portuguese Army’s Centre for Technological Experimentation and Modernisation (CEMTEx), the entity responsible for validating, integrating, and operationally testing emerging defence technologies. A graduate of the Portuguese Military Academy, where he began his career in 1994, he has become a leading figure at the intersection of military engineering, technological innovation, and land forces modernisation.He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), where he conducted applied research in weapon systems reliability and maintenance, with a focus on the Pandur II 8×8 armoured vehicle. His doctoral work contributed significantly to improving the operational readiness and logistical performance of complex military systems, bridging scientific rigour with operational relevance.As an academic, he has served as a lecturer and former director of the Military Mechanical Engineering programme at the Portuguese Military Academy, teaching and supervising work in mechanical technologies, predictive maintenance, and systems engineering applied to defence.As Director of CEMTEx, he led the Army Technological Experimentation Exercise (ARTEX 24), a large-scale operational innovation event bringing together industry, academia, and defence stakeholders to test and assess dual-use technological solutions aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Portuguese land forces.Lieutenant Colonel Chambel is a strong advocate for international cooperation in defence innovation and represents the Portuguese Army in European land forces modernisation forums. His participation in Future Land Forces 2025 in Warsaw reflects Portugal’s commitment to interoperability, shared technological development, and readiness for future operational challenges.
