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
The main objective of the next generation self-protection systems (SPS) is to increase survivability of fixed-wing and rotary-wing, combat or non-combat aircraft in hostile environments.
SPS is to face a wide, heterogeneous and evolving spectrum of hostile and directly threatening systems of surveillance, as well as to prioritise risks in the operational area and select the proper reaction mode through a network of distributed capabilities exploiting sensor nodes of various type inter/intra platforms. It should be reconfigurable depending on the mission and the platform targeted. It should also be able to self-adapt while operating, based on scenario monitoring and mission assets availability.
Detailed Call Description
The specific objective is to develop an enhanced SPS able to protect against:
- direct threats (e.g. missiles, loitering munition, RPG, etc.);
- indirect threats (e.g. surveillance/acquisition/tracking systems also with Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) radar capability;
- new proliferating types of threats, such as those in the field of loitering munitions, directed energy weapons (DEW) and cyber electromagnetic activity (CEMA) capabilities.
The proposals must address the design, prototyping and testing of a new generation of integrated self-protection system, designed to protect both fixed- and rotary-wing, combat and non-combat platforms, with very high efficiency, in view of allowing the usage of these platforms for mission accomplishment even in contested airspace.
The proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of the mandatory activities:
- design of a detailed self-protection system (Critical Design Review – CDR);
- prototyping and testing (on board of existing end-user platforms) of a self-protection system modular version, integrating sensors and effectors of sufficient technological maturity (e.g. full wideband digital radar warning receiver, multispectral threat warner);
- testing to be conducted either on a large and fixed wing aircraft or on a medium size helicopter, (further details in the Funding&Tenders) in order to demonstrate:
- technical maturation of lower technological readiness level (TRL) sensors and effectors, leading to at least TRL 7.
Moreover:
- projects addressing activities referred to in point (d) above must be based on harmonised defence capability requirements jointly agreed by at least two Member States or EDF associated countries (or, if studies within the meaning of point (c) are still needed to define the requirements, at least on the joint intent to agree on them)
- projects addressing activities – supported by at least two Member States or EDF associated countries that intend to procure the final product or use the technology in a coordinated manner, including through joint procurement and are based on common technical specifications jointly agreed by the Member States or EDF associated countries that are to co-finance the action or that intend to jointly procure the final product or to jointly use the technology.
Call Total Budget
Thematic Categories
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Justice - Security
- Other Thematic Category
- Processing
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Applications will only be considered eligible if their content corresponds wholly (or at least in part) to the topic description for which it is submitted.
Eligible participants (eligible countries) – 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 nonassociated third-country entity (unless they can provide guarantees – see Annex 2 – approved by the Member State or EDF associated country where they are established).
Associated partners which are not established in one of the eligible countries (or which are subject to control by a non-associated third country or non-associated third-country entity) may however participate exceptionally if certain conditions are fulfilled (not contravene EU and MS security and defence interests; consistent with EDF objectives; results not subject to control or restriction by non-associated third countries or non-associated third-country entities; no unauthorised access to classified information; no potential negative effects over security of supply of inputs which are critical for the project), subject to agreement by the granting authority and without any funding under the grant.
Consortium composition – For all topics under this call, 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
172-174 Strovolos Avenue, 2048 Strovolos, Nicosia,
website: https://mod.gov.cy/
Telephone: 22 807500
Email: defence@mod.gov.cy
Department of Research and Innovation
Phones: 22 807755, 22 807754
Email: research.innovation@mod.gov.cy
EU Contact Point
European Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS): https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/defence-industry-and-space_en
For help related to this call, please contact: DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu