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.

Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles (AIFV) remain a pivotal element of land military manoeuvre, both in a conventional warfare context as well as in the asymmetric one, thanks to the combination of protection, mobility, and firepower. Nonetheless, AIFVs currently numbered in the fleet inventories of the EU Member States are to some extent either ageing or obsolete and, therefore, the same States face the compelling need to modernise their in-service platforms and replace those of them approaching the end of their operational life. There is also a need to accelerate the acquisition and increase the size of the AIFV fleets updating some of the new requirements stemming from the war in Ukraine and the new threat scenarios. Against this background, the upgrade of the current and development of the next generation armoured infantry fighting vehicle capable of outstanding operational effectiveness and mission success in all possible future scenarios are highly necessary.

Modularity, reduced crew workload, the integration of automatic systems, Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), and increased survivability must guide design considerations.

• Justice - Security
• Other Thematic Category
• Public Administration
• Research, Technological Development and Innovation

• Central Government
• Legal Entities
• Other Beneficiaries
• Private Bodies
• Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
• State-owned Enterprises

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.

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

For help related to this call, please contact: DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu

• Funding&Tenders
• Call document