Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
The European Defence Fund (EDF) is the Commission’s initiative to support collaborative defence research and development, and to foster an innovative and competitive defence industrial base.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
To cope with multi-dimensional warfighting environments, modern militaries need relevant situational awareness across all domains. They also need to be able to both operate cross-domain capabilities, such as any-sensor-to-any-shooter networking, and prevent the enemy from doing so. This requires communications systems that can perform ad hoc networking in all domains in dynamically evolving tactical situations. Currently, this is done with mobile ad-hoc networking (MANET) data links.
Today, MANET data links, ES receivers, jammers, BFT and IFF are separate pieces of equipment requiring decentralised control, separate installation space, power supply, cabling, antennas, etc. By combining these functionalities into a single autonomously controlled equipment, it would be possible to achieve better performance, higher reliability, lower weight and lower life cycle costs.
In addition to the aforementioned technological reasons for converged aperture, there is also a need for converged systems. The electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) is expected to continue to be contested, congested and constrained. This would require AI-based operation at the device and system of systems (fleet/network) level in order to coordinate actions of several systems with minimal detectability and platform losses.
Detailed Call Description
The specific objective of this topic is to design, develop and build a system that should:
- Accelerate command and control (C2) and enhance operational effectiveness by providing cross-domain mobile ad-hoc networking capabilities to the armed forces.
- Increase lethality by enabling faster firing and reducing the risk of collateral damages, including fratricide, by providing the means to detect and target the enemy and to locate, track and identify friendly forces.
- Reduce enemy lethality and increase own protection by avoiding detection with AI-based emission control, stealthy waveforms and by jamming enemy communications.
- Provide autonomous mission management of several systems (including detection, jamming and targeting) within the network in order to improve survivability, and autonomously take actions to meet the mission objectives with the aid of AI.
- Be capable of operating in all weather conditions, in particular in the challenging Arctic environment and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) denied areas.
Proposals must address study, development and qualification of new generation scalable and cognitive (AI-controlled) multifunctional software defined (SD) transceiver for military use in manned and unmanned platforms. The ultimate objective of the proposals must be to achieve a qualified prototype for end-user demonstrations with a view to obtain end-user commitment for operational use.
Proposals may also provide a framework for the development of new standards, including proposals for intelligent and effective spectrum management, and prepare to contribute to future standards. The design approach should focus on building a system capable for series production and scalable for product families.
Call Total Budget
Thematic Categories
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Information Technology
- Justice - Security
- Other Thematic Category
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries (‘EDF associated countries’, see list of participating countries)
- have their executive management structure established in eligible countries
- must not be subject to control by a non-associated third country or non-associated third-country entity (unless they can provide guarantees – see Annex 2 – approved by the Member State or EDF associated country where they are established)
Consortium composition – Proposals must be submitted by:
minimum 3 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Ministry of Defense
Address: 172-174 Strovolos Avenue, 2048 Strovolos, Nicosia
Telephone: 22 807500
Email: defence@mod.gov.cy
Website: https://mod.gov.cy/
Department of Research and Innovation
Telephones: 22 807755, 22 807754
Email: research.innovation@mod.gov.cy
EU Contact Point
For help related to this call, please contact: DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu