The action should define strategies for development and ownership of advanced RF-CMOS supply chain in Europe, possibly a European Silicon foundry base aiming for advanced technology nodes for analog (RF) and digital circuits, as well as technologies or methodologies that enable use of other foundries without compromising assurance, where assurance pertains to both availability of the supply chain and its security.

The scope consists of two interacting parts:

• The development of RF-CMOS components and modules connected to current and future military applications, including the requirements for a production supply chain.
• How a non-dependent RF-CMOS European supply chain could be gained, or at least how measures to mitigate the risk of export limitations, high cost for low volume production or other limiting factor for a European supply chain can be implemented. A European supply chain must, but is not limited to, include one or more RF-CMOS fabrication site(s), mask generation, supply of wafers and other important raw materials necessary for advanced RF-CMOS processing. It may also include packaging and testing facilities.

Proposals must include studies, such as feasibility studies to explore new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions.  Proposals should identify which components and modules are relevant for future systems and which manufacturing facilities are needed for such components and modules. The action should develop a strategy for a European RF-CMOS fine pitch supply chain for manufacturing of high-speed and high-performance functional building blocks (data converters and FPGA) in the next generations of digital AESA Radar, wideband multifunctional RF systems.

For the list of eligible types of activities please visit page 9 of the call document (the link can be found under the “Further information” section in the present email).

Projects should take into account the results of projects supported by other EU funding programmes. In particular, the proposals need to build upon or integrate results that have been achieved within one or several projects funded under an EU programme call with a focus on civil applications. This(these) previous project(s) may be completed or may still be active. The submitting consortium does not necessarily need to include the participants or result owners of the previous project(s). However, applicants must provide a confirmation that they have or will have the necessary rights to use and commercialise the results of the previous project(s).