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
This topic aims to pave the way for the development of an autonomous European state-of-the-art capability in the field of high precision weaponry, such as guided mortar and artillery ammunition (shells and rockets), missiles, and other munitions with loitering capabilities. Such systems should aim to increase precision in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-contested/denied environments, reduce dependency on non-EU satellite navigation, and improve terminal guidance and effects on targets at extended ranges, as well as providing more affordable solutions.
The use of data fusion techniques and high accuracy Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems for Inertial Measurement Units (MEMS IMU) should be considered.
Detailed Call Description
In the context of future armed conflicts, greater focus is likely to be placed on the precision, the effectiveness and the affordability of ammunition and missiles in order to increase the capacity to neutralise adversary forces while avoiding unintended casualties and collateral damages among friendly units and non-combatant third parties.
Research activities to develop for next generation of European intelligent ammunition is required to enhance Member States precision strike capabilities.
There is a request to extend the range of ground artillery, rockets and missiles, while increasing their precision. Currently, existing solutions to correct the course of gun launched ammunition are either ITAR or do not fully achieve the required precision. European related research efforts have been modest in the past years. A few concepts have matured to become commercialised products, though with limited performance.
Proposals must address:
- Technologies for increasing ammunition precision guidance, navigation and control, particularly in GNSS contested/denied environments.
- Technologies for improving terminal guidance of ammunition, in particular for engaging moving targets at speed and concealed targets.
- Technologies for maximising effects on targets at extended ranges, with the possibility of scaling effects, abort mission or re-targeting during flight.
In addition, proposals should address:
- High accuracy, MEMS IMU and data fusion techniques.
- Navigation solution based on GNSS should have Galileo PRS as main source of positioning and timing.
- Terminal guidance capabilities (e.g., based on Semi-active laser (SAL) or image guidance systems like Imaging infrared (IIR)).
Furthermore, proposals may address:
- Concepts for introducing guidance or course correction to legacy munitions by using existing interfaces, such as the fuze-well in artillery shells.
- Technologies for loitering capability.
- Technologies for collaborating/swarm with other munition capability.
AI algorithms applied to guidance, navigation and control, even to moving targets and target detection.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Thematic Categories
- Justice - Security
- 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
For all topics under this call, including EDF-2023-RA-DIS-LDEW, 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