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
MALE RPAS reconnaissance includes optical, infrared, radar and signal intelligence sensors and generates geoinformation data. The sensors for optical, infrared and radar reconnaissance are usual configuration parts of a MALE system. As signal intelligence is often classified for national eyes only, it would be preferable to develop a common pod design, which is suitable to contain the national electronics. The integration effort into the MALE system can be shared with a common pod design. This pod design is also a suitable baseline for additional future sensors.
The ultimate objective is to develop, produce and sustain a system that provides this critical defence capability to respond to future security challenges.
In addition, a strong European supply chain is intended to be developed at all levels to promote the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) in the long term. The supply chain should not be a pre-determined black box, but is expected to be open to competitive suppliers in a largely open tendering process, with the suppliers for mission-critical or security-relevant systems intended to be EU-based.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals must address a prototype of a fully European MALE RPAS with an innovative ISTAR and armed ISTAR capability to exceed the capabilities of comparable current systems and the capabilities of systems available at the entry into service time or, at least, be comparable with them. The prototype must be tested with a view to further qualification and certification activities.
Proposals must also address the design and prototype of a common sensor pod for the European MALE RPAS, without affecting the timeline of ongoing activities related to the development of MALE RPAS.
In addition, proposals should address the enhancement of a multi-role approach for the MALE RPAS available with different sensor pod configurations.
Call Total Budget
Thematic Categories
- 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