EDA News

The European Defence Agency (EDA) brought together 19 European Union Member States and NATO, the European Commission and the EU Satellite Centre for a two-day meeting from 14 February to coordinate and streamline efforts, as the EU develops its space strategy for security and defence. The EU Military Staff and the European External Action Service were also present at EDA's headquarters in Brussels. 

The Defence in Space forum was the fifth and largest gathering since its inception in 2022. It discussed the new 2023 EU Capability Development Priorities in space and the tasks assigned to EDA in implementing the EU space strategy.

The  space strategy was proposed by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and the European Commission in March 2023. EDA will focus on providing military requirements to the Commission, as well as developing space education and training for security and defence.

Some EU Member States already have strategies governing the way they work in space. For others an EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence might serve as an inspiration for stronger involvement in the domain. 

Observation, navigation, communication

In the search for collaborative opportunities in space for defence, EDA’s expertise plays a unique role as a bridge between space projects run by different initiatives, such as Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the EU Space Programme.  

At the February forum, space planners discussed not just the implementation of tasks stemming from the proposed EU Space Strategy but also how to implement the 2023 Capability Development Priorities. They include space situational awareness, access to space, protection of space systems, space-based earth observation capabilities, positioning, navigation and timing, and satellite communication.  

The Defence in Space forum was launched within EDA in October 2022. It was an outcome of the EU’s defence review, CARD, which identified defence in space as a focus area in which collaboration was assessed to be most pressing, most needed, and most promising.   

EDA's wider role  

EDA supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks allowing it to the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.  
 
Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here. 
 

European Defence Agency (EDA) has published on 9 February 2024 its call for applications to its EDA Research, Technology, and Innovation Papers Award 2024. The competition, now in its second year, focuses on innovative technologies, processes, and applications for enhanced future defence capabilities. EDA is looking to hear from early career researchers before the deadline for applications on 29 March 2024. The awards will be presented at Eurosatory in Paris in June with each prize winner receiving €4,000.

Innovators of tomorrow

This year, papers shall be related to the topic of “Innovative technologies, processes, and applications for enhanced future defence capabilities.” The winning entries will come up with ideas which, if implemented between now and 2035, would contribute to enhance specific EU defence capabilities. Entries will be judged on their quality and impact, with a special emphasis on technology and innovation to help cover the European Union’s defence needs and shortfalls.

The contest aims to promote and support the work of early career researchers by introducing their work to the defence community, stimulate engagement of innovators to widen their access to emerging and potentially disruptive research, and identify areas in which additional investment is needed to address future defence capability needs. 

More than a prize

EDA’s award seeks to increase the visibility and impact of tomorrows innovators, with the contest conceived to offer more than just the financial prize. The winners will have the opportunity to expose their ideas during the dedicated session at EUROSATORY 2024 exhibition and conference in Paris on 19 June, 2024. An official EDA Booklet of papers to be edited and published in a scientific review by EDA, including ISBN (International Standard Book Number) reference. The Best Papers Award and names of the winners will also receive coverage on the EDA website and social media channels.

How to apply?

The deadline for submitting applications is 29 March 2024, with the following documents.

• Rules of Contest
• Annexes to the Rules of Contest
  
  

The contest is open to all citizens of EDA’s 27 participating Member States. For the first time in 2024 the contest is open also to citizens from Switzerland.

HEDI 

The EDA Research, Technology, and Innovation Papers Award is done under the ‘’umbrella’’ of HEDI (Hub for EU Defence Innovation), which is the new platform for innovation, led by EDA, that was established in March 2022 as an action derived from "Strategic Compass for EU Defence and Security’’.

HEDI has the objective of fostering innovative technological solutions following a systemic approach towards cutting-edge military capabilities. Furthermore, HEDI serves as a platform to stimulate and facilitate cooperation on defence innovation while ensuring synergies with related European Commission activities, notably the EU defence innovation scheme, coherence of output with NATO innovation and other EU Defence Innovation organizations.

This Call for Papers complements other HEDI’s services, such as e.g., the EDA Defence Innovation Prizes, or Proofs-of-Concept.

EDA's wider role  

EDA supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks allowing it to the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.  

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here. 

 

The European Defence Agency (EDA), under the umbrella of its Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED), has taken a step further towards delivering greater circularity in European defence with the launch of a new project called “IOTA 2", targeting the circular management of body armour vests. IOTA 2 will be taken forward by an industrial consortium from four Member States, namely Luxembourg, Germany, Spain and France, and will run for the next 12 months. It represents a milestone for circularity in defence, being the first project implemented under IF CEED.

Data for circularity - The Digital Product Passport

Within the EDA’s IF CEED programme, the key role of data as an enabler for circularity has been identified, as the sharing of information on capabilities - among actors in circular value chains - allows for the extension of lifetime, repair and ultimately efficient recycling.

A preliminary study (IOTA) on data sharing schemes analysed the feasibility of the concept of the “Digital Product Passport” (DPP) in defence; technical, organisational and legal aspects were addressed, with a focus on the protection of sensitive information. On this basis, the IF CEED Project Circle “Circular Data” concluded that the DPP had a strong potential for circularity of military equipment but also for improved interoperability across functions (procurement, maintenance, logistics) and countries.

Circularity of body armour

To confirm this potential and test the application of a DPP, experts from Member States and industry have defined a project idea focused on an actual military product: body armour components. In January 2024, EDA and the selected consortium held the kick-off meeting of IOTA 2 project. Entities (+ImpaKT Luxembourg, FECSA, Rheinmetall Business Unit Protection Systems, ELMICRON Dr. Harald Oehlmann GmbH, Sopra Steria Group) from four countries will work toward a proof of concept, defining the requirements and bricks for a DPP of body armour inserts, from the data model to product identification and IT set-up.

As part of the effort of moving armed forces towards more sustainable practices, circular management of body armour vests will contribute to better efficiency in the use of resources, especially the extension of lifetime and reduction of waste. The implementation of the DPP concept also aims to bring operational benefits by improving traceability, product authentication and stock management.

IOTA 2 is a strong example of IF CEED’s role in supporting the development and dissemination of circularity in defence. This first project will be complemented by the implementation of actions in the other priority areas of the Forum.

Further information

• To know more on the Digital Product Passport, see our video: https://youtu.be/FSX6N5lSETo.
• For further information contaact: circular.economy@eda.europa.eu.

On 30 January the European Defence Agency (EDA) organised a ‘High Level Symposium’ on military mobility at the Royal Higher Institute for Defence in Brussels, in the context of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. High-level speakers - including three Ministers of Defence, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU Commissioner for Transport, EDA, NATO and U.S. representatives - discussed progress and future challenges of enhancing military mobility in Europe, emphasising the EU’s role in facilitating concrete measures in several areas. Topics of discussion included the harmonisation of custom procedures and border permissions as well as the dual use of transport capacities.

The current geopolitical context, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, demonstrates the need for efficient and effective modes of transport of both troops and equipment across Europe. Military logistical movements, however, are quite complex and often encounter different types of legislative, administrative, and physical obstacles. The event highlighted how a streamlined approach is therefore necessary, building upon greater civilian and military cooperation.

Represented by their Ministers of Defence and State Secretary at the event, major entry-countries such as Belgium the Netherlands and Germany have a crucial role to play as valued reception, transit and dispatching nations, due to their central location within Europe and their extensive maritime infrastructure. With NATO and the European Union established in Brussels, Belgium’s cooperation with other partners on the issue of military mobility is a key priority of its Presidency of the Council of the EU.

In his keynote speech, EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, who is also the Head of the European Defence Agency, said, "In a conflict every second matters. Investing in military mobility is not just a commitment; it is an investment for today and tomorrow to allow our armed forces to respond faster to crises at our borders and beyond. Efficient and seamless transportation of troops and materials across Europe is a logistical, administrative and infrastructure challenge. We must address bottlenecks through cooperation and investment, to ensure rapid movement for the security of Europe.”

The Belgian Minister of Defence, Ludivine Dedonder, opened the symposium, saying “in order to achieve the objectives, set out in the Military Mobility Action Plan 2.0, it is necessary to safely facilitate and accelerate the movement of our military forces and their equipment across the European Union, for emergency situations at our external borders or beyond.”  

How can the EU help? The Military Mobility Action Plan 2.0.

The EU has launched an updated ‘Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0’ providing a comprehensive framework to develop a well-connected military mobility network, with shorter reaction times and secure, sustainable, and resilient transport infrastructure and capabilities. Speakers pointed to the need to achieve these objectives with a whole of government approach: government, civil industries, ministries of defence, and actors involved in land, air, and sea transport need to work closely together. This dual-use-approach will benefit the cooperating nations, not only in their military capabilities, but also in their national resilience. In this light, the Presidency will host a Dual Use Seminar in Ghent in February.

In recent years Belgium has set up an interdepartmental consultation with all national and regional stakeholders involved in the reception, transhipment, and transport of large quantities of military equipment on national territory. This consultation will be further enhanced in the near future, in order to make the necessary progress both at national and EU level.

 

EDA initiatives

The EDA supports participating Member States to fully implement two technical arrangements, signed in 2021, that address regulatory issues for cross-border movement permissions on land and in the air, which more than 20 EU Member States signed. The Belgian Ministry of Defence is holding a pioneering role in this working group.

Furthermore, to streamline and simplify formalities for cross-border military movements involving customs, a special “EU 302” form has been established by EDA. In the future, communication processes between the military and custom authorities will be digitalised while taking into account necessary cybersecurity. The development of a Military Customs System aims to reduce the administrative burden they could be encountering today. EDA is also working to improve the resilience of key elements underpinning effective military mobility, which encompasses robust information management, fortified cyber defences, and strengthened transport infrastructure.

PESCO-projects

In addition, the EDA is strongly engaged in two projects related to military mobility that have been launched under the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO): the “Network of logistic hubs in Europe and support to operations” (NetLogHubs) led by Germany, the “Military Mobility” project led by the Netherlands. Belgium is participating in both projects which are of utmost importance for the Belgian Presidency. They ensure the progress on large-scale reception and transport of military equipment and personnel.

 

Mutual reinforcement with NATO efforts

Military Mobility is often referred to as the flagship for EU-NATO cooperation, the symposium also welcomed representatives of NATO and the U.S. The event discussed how the EDA, Belgium and its other European partners will continue their efforts to improve Military Mobility in a European and NATO context. This includes more digitalisation of administrative processes, more cross-border movement coordination on land, sea, and air. This is the cornerstone of the Defence Readiness of the European Continent.

Across land, sea, air, space and cyber, military operations increasingly rely on data. That makes access to cloud technologies essential. A European Defence Agency-financed study has concluded that cloud computing can be applied to defence, both at the strategic level and in the field, to help European armed forces achieve information superiority against an adversary.

The EDA study over four years, ‘Cloud Intelligence for Decision Support and Analysis’ (CLAUDIA), looked at the application of civilian cloud technologies in defence, including computing capabilities, data storage and software tools hosted externally. Results of the study were presented on January 25th, with a view to follow-up activities looking at constraints to cloud computing in defence.

Given the pressures of the battlefield, such as relying on a range of connections from satellites to radios in an extreme environment, EDA’s research is crucial to increasing situational awareness and shortening reaction times across multiple domains.

As cloud technology uses virtualisation − creating a virtual version of servers, storage devices and networks using software −  the study focused on the overall advantages for defence. These are simplicity, flexibility and the ability to scale up in military environments, as well as working with ‘big data’ supported by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. These advantages can significantly improve the situational awareness and decision-making process both at strategic and tactical level.

CLAUDIA’s objective was to research using cloud technologies to support analysis of hybrid warfare including:

• Management and processing information from heterogeneous sources
• Tactical cloud infrastructure for Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) − or C4ISR − systems
• Information-process enhancement by using AI and big data
• Joint strategic, operational and tactical level simulators
• Simulation as a Service (SaaS) for computer simulations of theatres of war (synthetic environments) and rapid scenario generation

Thanks to CLAUDIA, a Software Analysis (SWAN) platform has been developed to demonstrate the cloud-based capabilities, with different modules to address the different technology topics, including:

• Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Analysis at the strategic level
• Tactical Cloud
• Internet of Military Things
• 5G for Tactical Cloud and AI in Wargaming

The demonstration showcased the benefits of cloud technologies with the SWAN platform at both the strategic and tactical level. Edge computing – at or near the location of either the user or the data source –  was also introduced to demonstrate the benefits of using such technologies in the field, providing real-time situational awareness with enhanced data and visual capabilities. The demonstration included simulation and wargaming for a hybrid warfare scenario, with the use of wargaming and advanced training and exercises capabilities. The study recommended making the SWAN platform available to all Member States for further testing.

EDA's wider role

EDA supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks allowing it to the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here. 

A ground-breaking defence research project exploring the application of quantum technologies in defence in the areas of secure communication and navigation has successfully closed. QuantaQuest – Quantum Secure Communication and Navigation for European Defence - a 28-month EU-funded project under the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) held its final meeting in December 2023, after delivering on a variety of operational scenarios and developments.

Led by THALES SA (France), the p roject brought together nine defence companies and research institutes from three Member States - France, Italy, and the Netherlands - with a budget of approximately € 1.5 million. The project proposed the development of quantum sensors and communication for defence applications in the following fields:

• Fully autonomous positioning and timing for military platforms;
• Secure communication for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR);
• Quantum network of sensors for synergic connection.

During the final meeting at the European Defence Agency (EDA), QuantaQuest consortium detailed the scenarios and requirements and presented the main technological developments across the three areas highlighted above.

In the positioning and timing part, the project developed an important building block toward a deployable fully quantum inertial measurement unit for fully autonomous positioning and timing. Using cold atoms trapped in a chip and photonic integrated circuit technologies will take the benefits of ultraprecise quantum measurements while reducing its size. This will allow to integrate the technology into future mobile systems to navigate precisely with reduced drift even in global satellite navigation systems denied environments.

In the field of secure communications for C4ISR, the project implemented a free-space quantum key distribution in an urban environment. With this the photons are sent via free air instead of transferring them via an optical fibre connection. Future systems applying this technology will help in operation to securely transfer the keys for encrypted communication.

Finally, the project developed a quantum interface and evaluated the performances of a quantum synchronisation of two clocks, leading to disruptive improvements concerning the sensors sensitivity.

QuantaQuest also investigated operational scenarios of use of the previously mentioned quantum technologies to build the next step roadmap for the military application of quantum technologies. Building on the progress made over the past 28 months, QuantaQuest also kicked off a follow up project “ADEQUADE - Advanced, Disruptive and Emerging Quantum technologies for Defence” funded under European Defence Fund (EDF) 2021.

QuantaQuest and PADR

QuantaQuest project is funded under the Preparatory Action for Defence Research (PADR) call on the topic “Future Disruptive Defence Technologies – Emerging Game-changers”, subtopic “Quantum Technologies for defence applications”.

PADR was launched by the European Commission in 2017 to assess and demonstrate the added value of EU supported defence research and technology (R&T). It paved the way for a proper European Defence Programme to come as part of the European Defence Fund (EDF), under the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027). 

The PADR implementation is run by EDA following the mandate via a Delegation Agreement between the European Commission and EDA signed on 31 May 2017. Under this agreement, the Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects launched within the PADR. 

A strong and competitive European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) is a prerequisite for developing defence capabilities and securing European strategic autonomy. EDA has established a structured dialogue and enhanced engagement with industry, which aims to EDTIB and focuses on European entities. This month, the Agency hosted a dedicated workshop for the defence industry, welcoming over 150 experts in-house and online, to update on the state of play and related way ahead of EDA’s activities of particular interest to the defence industry.

Welcoming industry representatives from large, mid-cap, SMEs and industrial associations, EDA’s Director for Industry Synergies and Enablers (ISE) underlined that the establishment of defence initiatives at EU level have created favorable conditions for strengthening the EDTIB. He emphasised that the Agency is committed to fostering an environment that supports the EDTIB, acknowledging its crucial contribution to Europe's overall security and defence.

The participants were updated by EDA experts during the workshop on the five pillars of EDA’s industry engagement approach, notably: Capability Development, Research, Technology and Innovation, Key Strategic Activities and wider EU policies as well as overall support to Industry. The update focused on activities of interest to the industry, including opportunities for potential engagement. Representatives of the European Commission also attended the meeting and provided an update on their current initiatives relevant to defence industry.

Access to finance, 2023 EU Capability Development Priorities & tools for industry

Industry representatives were informed on the Member States joint statement on access to financing that was prepared by EDA through a collaborative dialogue involving participating Member States and the industry. The statement, that was endorsed by 27 EU Ministers of Defence last November, emphasizes on the importance of accessing finance on capital markets, and encompassing both regulatory proposals at EU-level related to ESG reporting and ongoing developments with national financial actors.

The 27 EU Ministers of Defence approved also the 2023 EU Capability Development Priorities (CDP). The 22 agreed priorities provide a valuable overview of the capability development landscape for the defence industry. The workshop allowed industry representatives to address relevant questions on the CDP, primarily what are the next steps regarding the implementation and how industry could be involved in this process.  

Clarifications also provided to the participants on how to access to the EDA prioritization platform which contains the Capability Development Priorities (CDP), Strategic Context Cases (SCC), Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA including the TBB roadmaps) and Key Strategic Activities (KSA) and on the further development of the B2B platform.

EDA also informed the participants about the publication of the Industry Engagement Roadmap 2024 which offers an overview of the EDA activities of interest to the industry, that are planned to take place in 2024 in all 5 pillars of EDA Industry Engagement.

Participants stressed that this workshop could take place one more time per year as the update provided is considered very useful.

The final meeting of the EDA project “Next Generation of Propellers” (NextProp) took place in Brussels this month. NextProp, a cross-domain activity involving EDA’s CapTechs “Naval Systems” and “Materials & Structures”, successfully developed models and tools for the design of low-noise naval propellers. With a budget of 4 million Euros, NextProp was cooperatively funded by Italy, Norway, and Poland. Eight partner entities from these three countries implemented the project over the past three years.

Designing modern naval propellers involves various considerations such as efficiency, weight, durability, cost, and detectability. Testing these propellers through experiments, using either scale models or full-size prototypes, is crucial but can be expensive and time-consuming. Fortunately, advancements in high-performance computing have increased the importance and feasibility of numerical simulations and modelling.

Creating a model for the acoustic field generated by propeller motion is a complex task. It encompasses factors like the flow around the hull, turbulence, fluid-structure interaction at the propeller blades, and the interaction between the hull wake and propeller. This complexity defines a multi-physics and multi-scale problem that needs simplification in a computational model.

Reducing the signature

The primary project outcome is an improved software tool for the minimisation of the acoustic signature of naval propellers. To this end, models based on hydro-elastic physics are used to predict the behaviour of typical propeller materials, including metals and advanced composites, under operational conditions. Results obtained from NextProp improve the understanding of sound generation and propagation from naval propellers and support advanced low-noise propeller design. Beyond this, NextProp brings forth new methods and setups for experimental propeller tests as well as advanced knowledge of sensor integration for the purpose of condition-based maintenance.

More detailed information on NextProp is available in the executive summary.

In combining knowledge in the fields of hydro-acoustics and advanced material properties, the project has effectively exploited synergies among EDA’s Capability and Technology Groups (CapTechs) “Naval Systems” and “Materials and Structures”. Several Member States support the continuation of the NextProp research line towards further optimisation and validation of the design and fabrication of composite and isotropic polymer propellers, with a follow-up project currently being prepared.

Eight partner entities from Italy, Norway and Poland

FFI (coordinator), FiReCo, Light Structures, SINTEF Ocean, CNR-INM, CETENA, Politecnico di Milano, Polish Naval Academy.

To support the EU’s ability to act rapidly and robustly whenever a crisis erupts, the development of a European Command and Control (C2) capability is essential for decision-making, planning, and conduct of missions and operations. Supported by EDA, the European Strategic Command and Control System (ESC2) project concluded a major phase in its aim of to provide a ground-breaking solution that will enable the EU and its Member States to employ the most advanced Command and Control system available worldwide, fully interoperable with the C2 systems of the EU, Member States, NATO, and civilian agencies. 

On December 11th, EDA hosted the Closure Session of the ESC2 project with the participation of Member States, stakeholders and industry. The session heard that once the ESC2 system design has delivered in 2023 as expected, a new project will link up with the ESC2 to further develop the system by creating a software prototype in 2025 ready for prompt implementation in the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC).

Together, the ESC2 and the future follow-up project European Command and Control System (EC2), will provide an advanced and integrated suite of C2 tools designed to support decision-making, planning, and conduct of CSDP missions and operations from the strategic to the operational level. It will provide a Staff-wide set of solutions, exploiting the emerging technologies in key domains such as Information Technology and Communication Systems. 

With a total budget of 22 million euros, the project is funded by a group of 6 Member States: France, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Spain as the leading nation; as well as the European Commission. Launched under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), the project gathered 21 companies from 10 different Member States to ensure delivery of a beyond state-of-the-art design for ESC2.

Together through cooperation

Launched in January 2021, amid COVID restrictions which restricted the first steps of the project, the project team managed to make up time and reach the end of 2023 ready to deliver the system design, after 36 months of work. The complexity and demands of the project required a wide range of actors to ensure the ambitious goals of ESC2 could be achieved. 

EDA supports EU Member States acting as the ESC2 Project Manager. In this role, EDA manages Member States financial contribution, monitors the execution of the project plan, provides focused expertise and coordinates all contributing activities. Among the 21 industry partners, companies such as Indra (Spain), Thales (France), Leonardo (Italy), and Rheinmetall (Germany) all participated. 

To ensure end-user requirements and operational expertise were built-in, the MPCC, EUMS and EEAS played a significant role. Additionally, the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the Greek Ministry of Defence supported this project by facilitating the participation of the industrial experts in the exercises MILEX 22, MILEX23 and INTEGRATED RESOLVE 22.

 

ALOCAS - The project Advanced Low Observable Coatings And Structures, initiated by the European Defence Agency's (EDA) Capability and Technology Group “Materials & Structures”, is a joint material research project between Saab (lead) and FOI of Sweden and AkzoNobel and NLR of the Netherlands. The project shows successful research performed in developing innovative low observable materials with the potential to reduce the radar signature of next generation platforms.

Low observable (LO) technology is a fundamental part of future aeronautical and naval weapon systems. In general, LO technology is intended to reduce the detectability of military platforms against a variety of threat sensors. This project focused on material development in the radar microwave- and infrared wavelengths with the goal of enabling the access to, and the survival within, hostile air and sea-space for combat, intelligence and reconnaissance assets to perform the designated missions.

The final meeting which recently took place at Saab Aeronautics in Linköping, Sweden, shows promising progress in the low observable materials regarding design and optimisation methods, absorber concepts, additive manufacturing of honeycomb structure, scattering cancellation meta-surfaces, LO multifunctional coatings, non-destructive testing and maintainability of LO additively manufactured materials. 

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the European Defence Agency (EDA), and the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) converged in Luxembourg for a trilateral meeting on 12 December. 

Hosted by Ms Stacy Cummings, NSPA General Manager, the gathering focused on navigating the evolving security landscape and fortifying joint initiatives to optimise use of resources and enhance complementarity.

With a candid exchange on the impact of the current security environment on their respective roles and missions, the organisations delved into strategic discussions aimed at identifying synergies and areas of collaboration. The emphasis lay on identifying common challenges and unlocking opportunities for strengthened cooperation.

Key areas of focus included brainstorming pathways to bolster collaboration and coordination, addressing concerns regarding potential competition and overlapping capabilities, and identifying objectives for unified messaging when engaging with common stakeholders.

"The current security environment challenges us to be more efficient, effective and responsive. We are stronger together, as partners. By leveraging their synergies, NSPA, EDA and OCCAR are building collective strength," stated Ms Cummings. "This meeting is a step forward as we leverage past successes and continue to join forces towards enhanced cooperation, reinforcing our commitment to enabling and supporting nations across Europe and the NATO alliance.

EDA Chief Executive, Mr Jiří Šedivý, said: “Sharing views trilaterally and identifying areas for greater synergies at this precise moment in time is much helpful and necessary. We did it in the past already, delivering tangible achievements together with the multinational multirole tanker and transport (MRTT) fleet, which was conceived in EDA, managed by the NSPA on behalf of the participating countries and supported by OCCAR in the acquisition phase.”

“While our organisations have different mandates, scope of activities, and membership, we are aiming to support our respective member states so that they can best cope with the fast-changing security environment and new capability needs”, he added.

OCCAR-EA Director, Mr Joachim Sucker confirmed: “At a time when our world is ever more disconnected, we need to work hard to find ways to connect and cooperate to achieve our common goal to provide options to deliver defence capabilities to the Nations. I am very thankful to NSPA General Manager, Ms Stacey Cummings for bringing myself and Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA) Jiří Šedivý together for the first time, trilaterally, to further develop and strengthen our joint efforts to collaborate effectively and efficiently with our individual organizations ‘strengths and capabilities.”

The outcome of this trilateral meeting shows commitment to fostering an environment of collaboration and to addressing pressing security challenges.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) is NATO’s lead organisation for multinational acquisition, support and sustainment in all domains.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) is an inter-governmental organisation of the European Union (EU). Created in 2004 to support and facilitate defence cooperation in the EU, it enhances European defence capabilities through collaborative projects and initiatives.

The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) is an independent International Organization for the management of complex, cooperative armament programmes

Since 2018, the European Defence Agency (EDA) Defence Innovation Prize has been rewarding companies and research entities that come up with technologies, products, processes or services applicable to the defence domain. The prize promotes defence innovation in Europe and provides civilian industries, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), research organisations and universities with an opportunity to showcase their know-how.

This year, the prize focused on two categories: 

• Technologies for situational awareness Innovative solutions and technologies for immersive training, battlefield situational awareness and other defence applications.

• Technologies for communication and information systems Innovative solutions and technologies for implementing Zero Trust Architecture in tactical defence communication and information systems.

The award for Technologies for situational awareness goes to the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre, and its concept ‘Tactical Environment Model for Battlefield  Awareness (TEMBA)’.  The award for Technologies for communication and information systems goes to Cyber Noesis, and its concept paper for ‘AI-assisted dynamic risk management for context-aware access control in Zero Trust Architecture.

For a full article see: European Defence Matters Issue 26

The prize winners are given access to EDA’s network of experts, having the opportunity to form valuable partnerships to leverage some of the EDA and EU funding opportunities.

Proposals judged to be at a high level by the evaluation committee, including the winners, will be presented to EDA’s Capability Technology groups, known as CapTechs, in a dedicated workshop to explore ways to apply them within the CapTechs’ areas of responsibility.

 

 

Europe should consider Ukraine as the "arsenal of the free world" and learn lessons from the conflict with Russia, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries, told the European Defence Agency's annual conference.

"We are paying a terrible price but (the war) allows us to guarantee the quality of our defence products," Kamyshin told the 300 delegates gathered in Brussels, who included Ministers of Defence, EU lawmakers, members of Europe’s armed forces, defence industry representatives and experts.

"We offer you a chance to get ready, we ask you not to miss it. We didn’t choose this way, we have been a peaceful country But this world pushes us to build an arsenal, the arsenal of the free world, let’s build it together," Kamyshin said.

He added that the 'innovation cycle' in Ukraine during wartime was as short as two weeks: from the moment the military sees something is not working to its reestablishment as a reliable asset. 

Speaking on a panel dedicated to supporting the European Defence Technological Industrial Base (EDTIB), Timo Pesonen, Director General, DG DEFIS, European Commission, said that the Commission, EDA and NATO were working together to develop industry.

Wendy Gilmour, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment at NATO, recalled that collective defence, planning and setting standards have allowed the transatlantic alliance to deliver interoperable capabilities. She said EDA, OCCAR and NSPA worked together to deliver on European goals, citing the Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF).

"A more effective European defence industrial base will make NATO stronger," Gilmour said, urging European cooperation with Turkey, Britain and the United States. Gilmour said that Ukraine was firing 15,000 rounds a day of large calibre ammunition, showing the challenge for Western production facilities to help meet the demand.

Radka Konderlova, Director-General for Industrial Cooperation, Ministry of Defence, Czechia, said there must be better access to financing for defence companies. She said Czechia was trying to address the issue with banks. "The devil is sometimes in the details," she added.

'European preference'

Antoine Bouvier, Head of Strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions at Airbus, said volume and performance were both crucial to a successful defence industry in Europe. "You can get volumes through inventories ... but this is not sustainable. It is sustainable to invest. It means you have to take a political decision from governments and a business decision from industry." 

Bouvier called for a "European preference" when it came to Member States buying military assets and equipment, saying it would give more predictability to industry. He also said it was important to attract young people to work in European defence companies. "Funding, predictability yes. But if we are missing human resources, we will be prevented from doing our job," he said. 

The European Union should strive towards a fully-fledged ‘European Defence Union’, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen told the European Defence Agency’s annual conference.

Warning Member States against buying too many assets and too much equipment without coordination, and from abroad, President von der Leyen said the Commission was preparing a new ‘European Defence Industrial Strategy’ for early in 2024. 

“We have made tangible progress towards a European Defence Union, but the strategic challenges we face have grown even faster,” von der Leyen told the 300 delegates gathered in Brussels, who included Ministers of Defence, EU lawmakers, members of Europe’s armed forces, defence industry representatives and experts. “The next chapter is a fully-fledged European Defence Union.”

Forged out of the ashes of the Second World War, the EU has always seen itself as a peace project. Von der Leyen urged Europeans to now think of the EU as a security project. “Peace needs security,” she said.

The EU should also include Ukraine's military needs as the Union designs the future strategy of Europe's defence industry, von der Leyen said.

"Our strategy can only be complete if it also takes into account Ukraine's needs and Ukraine's industrial capacity," von der Leyen said

Josep Borrell, EDA’s Head of Agency and EU High Representative, welcomed a €70 billion increase in defence spending, following what he called a “silent process of disarmament” in Europe in previous decades.

Borrell reiterated his view that the EU continues to lack critical capabilities. Presenting EDA’s 2022 defence data, Borrell said that, at a record €240 billion, 2022 European defence spending again increased by 6% on the previous year, marking the eighth year of consecutive growth. 

“We have to increase the level of our ambition,” Borrell said of European cooperative military projects. “This is an opportunity to think bigger.” He also called for more joint spending in research and technology (R&T), after a 6% fall in 2022. "This, we cannot afford."

  European Defence Industry Programme

Building on EDA’s work in military collaboration, von der Leyen said the Commission’s strategy would seek to deepen further defence cooperation in the EU. “We need a strategic planning function that ties together national and EU-level planning. This will give predictability and reduce fragmentation,” she said. “We need simpler and more efficient rules … We can use our regulatory framework.”

In her policy speech, von der Leyen told the EDA annual conference that the Commission will first consult with industry. In addition to a White Paper on dual use research, the EU executive will “explore all possible ways to reward, incentivise and compensate the costs of cooperation and industrial competitiveness,” von der Leyen said.

She said the Commission will propose a European Defence Industry Programme early next year. This will integrate the experience of recent EU legislation, ASAP and EDIRPA.

ASAP stands for Act in Support of Ammunition Production.  It aims to facilitate the ramp-up of ammunition production capacity in the European defence industry. ASAP has a budget of €500 million over 2023-2025. EDIRPA stands for European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act.  EDIRPA has a budget of €300 million.

Von der Leyen also said the Commission was working closely with EDA on VAT exemption to support joint procurement, as well as joint ownership of defence capabilities. The Commission will also look at how a government’s defence investments might be taken into account under EU fiscal governance rules.

Von der Leyen said it could be a “relevant factor when we assess if Member States have an excessive deficit.”

The European Union should consider ‘European defence bonds’ to fund investment in European defence and security as part of a new push for deeper military coordination, the President of the European Council Charles Michel told the European Defence Agency’s annual conference.

Member states should pool what could amount to €600 billion in defence investment over the next 10 years, Michel told the conference, urging for better coordination of how it is to be spent. He also proposed a European cyber force equipped with offensive capabilities to counter attacks through computer networks.

“We must fortify our European continent. We must beef up our European defence,” Michel told the 300 delegates gathered in Brussels, who included European Ministers of Defence, EU lawmakers, members of Europe’s armed forces, defence industry representatives and experts.

Michel said European defence bonds would be an attractive asset class, including for retail investors. Michel also said the time was ripe to channel more military investment and activities into a combined European effort to defend the EU’s values of liberal democracy.

“The idea of EU defence is not new,” Michel said. “Russia’s invasion have injected a new urgency. Our ambition must match the urgency (of the moment).”

No more ‘peace dividend’

Belgium’s Minister of Defence Ludivine Dedonder warned that, given that the war in Ukraine was likely to last for some time, the EU must strengthen its industrial base.

“We must consider that our security needs real investment in a defence capability that is sufficiently robust to act as a deterrent and sufficiently resilient to support a war effort if required," she told the conference. Belgium will take over the EU Presidency of the Council of the European Union in January.

“Our major challenge will be continue to rebuild our defence capabilities.” Minister Dedonder outlined how she took over a defence ministry that had been badly underfunded, but that was now changing.

Cyprus Minister of Defence Michalis Giorgallas said: "In recent years, Cyprus' defence SMEs have specialized in cutting-edge technologies such as cyber-defence, tactical to strategic communications, maritime surveillance, intelligence, and unmanned vehicles."

Both ministers said the EU should be more independent. Eric Beranger, Chief Executive Officer, MBDA Missile Systems, highlighted that more than 70% of European orders for military assets and equipment are made outside of Europe. Only about 30% are procured inside Europe, he said. "Europe will become more autonomous when this ratio is reversed. This is what will break the vicious circle."

EDA’s Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý underscored the work that EU Member States already engage in, but called for deeper integration. He also argued for sharper, higher-end, full-spectrum capabilities along the lines of the Agency’s newly agreed Capability Development Priorities.

“If I have one message for you today, it is that we cannot continue in EU defence as we did before, with the mentality of peace time. We have lived too long on the peace dividend,”  Šedivý told the conference. “Never before have we had such a convergence with the NATO priorities,” he added.

‘Different planets’

During the conference’s first panel, Nathalie Loiseau, Chairwoman of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defence, shared President Michel’s urgency. She called for the EU to move closer to something resembling a war footing in its support for Ukraine. She also urged EU Member States to dedicate more shared funds to defence.

“We do need to increase the money for the European Defence Fund,” she said, noting that the €8 billion in the EDF for the 2021-2027 period is less than the €13 billion originally proposed. She said that the European budget for defence amounted to €4 a year per European citizen.

Christian Molling, Deputy Director, German Council on Foreign Relations, told the conference that there were still big issues to address. He said that over the past two decades, EU institutions, defence companies and governments were on “different planets” and that their goals were not aligned.

He said EDA was trying to bridge the gaps, also with NATO. “Future conflict is not 2024. Future conflict is tomorrow and preparation is today,” he warned.

Reacting to Michel’s prediction of the €600 billion in future defence investment, Molling said: “The demand in Europe is tremendous. Take the economic risk now to evade the military risk later.”

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has today published its annual Defence Data report for 2022, for the first-time detailing defence spending from all EU Member States. At a record €240 billion, 2022 European defence spending again increased by 6% on the previous year, marking the eighth year of consecutive growth. 20 of the 27 EU Member States increased defence expenditure, with six increasing spending by over 10%.

2022 European Defence Spending - Key Findings

• Sweden (+30.1%), Luxembourg (+27.9%), Lithuania (27.6%), Spain (19.3%), Belgium (14.8%) and Greece (13.3%) recorded the highest increases in overall expenditure among the EU 27.

• A record €58 billion was allocated to defence investments; overwhelmingly towards the procurement of new equipment, which increased by 7% on the previous year.

• Significant jump in value of projects managed by EDA; with 18 projects starting in 2022 worth more than € 76 million, for a combined value of € 250 million across 46 projects managed on behalf of Member States by EDA.

High Representative/Vice-President and Head of the European Defence Agency Josep Borrell said: “Our armed forces must be ready for a much more demanding era. Adjusting to these new realities first and foremost means investing more on defence. A record €240 billion underpins the commitment of Member States to bolster European defence. However, we have key capability gaps and continue to lag behind other global players in spending. This is why it’s not just about spending more in defence, but also about spending better and together. We must find extra value in our ability to cooperate and seize the opportunities to strengthen our armed forces through common planning, shared projects and joint procurements.”

Commitment to investment 

The allocation of €58 billion of total defence expenditure to defence investment by the 27 EU Member States marks a robust growth of 5.9%. The agreed benchmark of 20% total expenditure to this area is surpassed for the fourth year with a 24.2% total across the EU. 20 Member States reached this collectively agreed benchmark, with Luxembourg (53.5%), Hungary (48.1%), Greece (42.6%), Finland (37.4%) and Lithuania (34.8%) with the highest allocation of their overall defence expenditure to investment.

Research spending slips  

Despite record overall spending, expenditure dedicated to defence research and technology (R&T) is down, €200 million compared to the previous year. Only two MS meet the agreed 2% benchmark of defence expenditure dedicated to R&T activities, together accounting for more than 80% of all defence R&T expenditure. EU collaborative endeavours such as the EDA Ad Hoc framework and funding via the European Defence Fund can collectively bring the EU closer to achieving the benchmark for defence spending allocated to R&T activities.

 

BACKGROUND

EDA collects defence data on an annual basis, and has done so since 2006, in line with the Agency’s Ministerial Steering Board Decision of November 2005. The Ministries of Defence of the Agency’s 27 Member States provide the data. EDA acts as its custodian and publishes the aggregated figures in its “Defence data” booklets and on its website. On 23 March 2023, Denmark joined the Agency, allowing for the first time EDA’s Defence Data Publication to account for all European Union MS. Of note, this edition incorporates Denmark’s defence data for 2022 only. Datasets of MS are available since 2006 on the Defence Data Portal on EDA’s website.

Notes for editors

1. EDA Defence Data Report 2022
2. EDA Defence Data webpage
3. The European Defence Agency (EDA), the hub for European defence cooperation:
   1. Created in 2004 to support and facilitate defence cooperation in Europe, EDA has become the place where countries willing to develop their defence capabilities collaboratively can do so.
   2. EDA’s expertise and activities cover the whole spectrum of cooperation: from harmonising requirements to delivering operational capabilities; from research & technology (R&T) and innovation to developing technology demonstrators; from training and exercises to support to CSDP operations.
   3. EDA also closely engages with the European defence industry to enhance Europe’s defence technological and industrial base and help make the industry stronger and more competitive.
   4. The Agency’s role and impact have constantly grown, especially with the implementation of the EU’s Global Strategy (2016) which also led Member States to reinforce the Agency’s mission in 2017, and more recently with the adoption of the EU Strategic Compass.

 4. Follow #EUdefence on social media (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) for more and    visit our website www.eda.europa.eu.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has handed over its long-running helicopter training programmes to a dedicated centre in Portugal, marking an end to one of the Agency’s most successful ventures in its 19-year history. 

On 1 January 2024, the Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC), hosted by Portugal at Sintra Airbase No. 1, will reach Initial Operational Capability (IOC). Full Operation Capability should be achieved in 2026. The MHTC project is supported by 14 European countries. 

Helicopters are one of the key enablers in today’s military operations, providing transport and combat capabilities across all kinds of terrains.

With no equivalent in NATO, EDA’s helicopter programmes have included several training activities, including tactics, electronic warfare and 'Composite Air Operations' planning courses, multinational exercises and an annual helicopter tactics symposium.

Those aim to improve European helicopter interoperability and to foster improvement of the helicopter crews and personnel in the tactics of modern warfare and operations. They regularly involve the participation of air force, army and navy personnel and assets, including helicopters, fast jets, transport aircraft, air defence equipment and ground troops. 

“EDA’s helicopter programmes are a prime example of European defence cooperation,” EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said during the transfer ceremony on 28 November 2023, which was attended by Portugal’s Minister of Defence Helena Carreiras, as well as military and civil authorities from Portugal and from the countries belonging to the EDA helicopter programmes and MHTC. “Enhanced cooperation is a must if we want to increase the readiness, strengthen the resilience and modernise our Armed Forces,” he added. 

Minister of Defence Carreiras said: "Our joint commitment to enhancing European defence projects such as the Multinational Helicopter Training Centre reflects a forward looking approach by emphasizing cooperation interoperability and preparedness."

She added: "We are able to respond together more effectively to collective security challenges, and therefore, to contribute to a safer and more stable European landscape."

Following the ceremony, helicopters performed a personnel recovery demonstration involving a AW-119 Koala and an EH-101 Merlin.

EDA launched its helicopter training activities in 2008. It helped to bridge a capability gap highlighted by shortcomings during European missions in Afghanistan and the Balkans, when military personnel lacked know-how in helicopter tactics, and as some Member States needed extra training as they shifted from Soviet-era helicopters to newer Western models.   

EDA Helicopter Training Progammes in figures

Between 2009 and 2023, EDA exercises have deployed over 340 helicopters, 2,325 aircrew members and over 15,000 military personnel. Fully 1,050 aircrew members from 20 different countries have graduated from the EDA Helicopter Tactics Course over its 81 editions. In addition, 163 helicopter crew members from 10 different countries have graduated from the Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course over its nine editions. 

EDA’s 14th and final Helicopter Tactics Symposia took place earlier in November, when some 70 specialists from 15 European countries including Ukraine, as well as representatives of NATO, gathered for that event.

In total, military and industry instructors have delivered more than 20 Electronic Warfare and Composite Air Operations planning courses. Furthermore, EDA has created its own helicopter Standard Operating Procedures, which are the basis for all training. They help to foster standardisation and improve interoperability levels.

All these activities have been delivered across Europe, although all ground and simulator training has been performed exclusively at the EDA helicopter training centre, formerly located in the UK, and since 2020 in Portugal.

But more than that, during the last one and a half decades, EDA has delivered helicopter training philosophy and its activities that provided valuable, tangible, and immediate results to Member States, and which have supported the improvement of the European helicopter capability and the interoperability of helicopter crews.

EDA as a catalyst

Even with EDA’s success in the helicopter training, Chief Executive Šedivý underscored the Agency’s broader role in forging defence cooperation in the European Union. EDA’s core task is not to be a training institute, but rather a catalyst for cooperative activities, he said. 

“We are here to launch the initiatives that can provide an added value to Member States. When they reach a sufficient level of maturity, we transfer them to willing and able Member States or multinational organisations, allowing for EDA to free-up resources and focus on developing new initiatives,” Šedivý added. 

Bison Counter 2023 (BC23), the largest European exercise to combat improvised explosive devices (IEDs), concludes in Spain after 12 intense days of joint training. The exercise, hosted by the Spanish Armed Forces, mobilized more than 1,000 personnel from 16 countries, either actively in different trainings or as observers. More than 270 scenarios were conducted between the two exercise sites.

The objective of the BC23 exercise was to train the full spectrum of the Counter-IED concept in a multi-level domain from tactical to operational. The exercise also took a multi-domain approach with land and maritime deployments across two locations, Cartagena and Zaragoza, including; 

• Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD),
• Military Working Dogs (K9),
• Underwater Work (UW), 
• Route Clearance Package (RCP),
• Weapons Intelligence Team (WIT),
• European Centre of Manual Neutralization Capabilities (ECMAN)
• Joint Deployable Laboratory for Exploitation and Analysis (JDEAL)

To achieve the highest level of full-spectrum C-IED training, role players and more than 300 vehicles were employed, including Centaurs from the Spanish 11 Cavalry Regiment, RG-31s, Huskies, armored JCBs, VAMTACs, Mk5s and Infantry Piranhas, to name a few. During the live exercise all tasks were observed to provide an after-action review as baseline for the lessons identified / lessons learned (LI/LL) process. Beginning next year, BC23 will be completed by a workshop reviewing the complete exercise, the observed LI/LL and a handover from Spain to the host nation for Bison Counter 2025, the Netherlands. 

BC23 - full -spectrum, multilevel and multidomain  BC23 C-IED concept is based on a full -spectrum, multilevel and multidomain approach, integrating the intelligence cycle which allows interconnection among all levels. Figure 1 and the following assignment of the C-IED enabler illustrates the understanding of this.

Assuming that during an operation an IED was suspected by the involved forces. This suspected IED can be confirmed in various ways, including Route Clearance (RC), usage of Military Working Dogs (K9) and Underwater Work (UW), capabilities that were amongst others also practiced within the EDA Program Military Search Capability Building (MSCB ).

Once the IED is confirmed the (C-IED) Task Force decides how to eliminate this threat. The common approach is tasking Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). But there are situations where the use of EOD may be inappropriate or the risk of exploding a device is unacceptable (i.e., direct threat to human life, critical effect on the mission, recovery of an intact device is of interest for exploitation, combination with CBRN payload). Therefore, manual neutralization is required. This highest level of skill and training can be achieved by courses delivered under the EDA program: European Centre of Manual Neutralization Capabilities (ECMAN).

After eliminating the threat, collection of evidence for further investigation is attempted. This is usually done by a Weapon Intelligence Team (WIT) or similar capabilities (Level 1 exploitation). The collected evidence is forwarded for Level 2 Exploitation, a capability provided by another EDA program, the Joint Deployable Laboratory for Exploitation and Analysis (JDEAL). The results provide information on enemy techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP), which can be used in further operational planning and thus contribute directly to the preparation of forces (PtF).

16 countries – together  BC23 brought together personnel from 16 countries: Spain, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia participated actively.; Tthe United States, Latvia, Romania and Sweden participated as Observer countries. Luxembourg and Norway are also member countries of the BISON COUNTER EXERCISES project, although they did not participate with troops in BC23.
 

 

 

 

The European Defence Agency (EDA) began implementing two strategic defence research projects, ECOBALLIFE and ARTURO, that were selected under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 2021 call for proposals.

The EDF incentivises cooperation and supports the competitiveness of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. It aims at providing financial support to defence research and capability development. In line with the EDF Regulations and following the signature of the Contribution Agreement by the European Commission, EDA is responsible for the indirect management of the projects.

ECOBALLIFE

The project ‘Research in Eco-designed Ballistic Systems for Durable Lightweight Protections Against Current and New Threats in Platform and Personal Applications’ was selected in the EDF area of materials and structures for enhanced protection in hostile environments. It analyses new materials and technologies improving protection for soldiers and vehicles against a wide range of threats and identifies European know-how in the field of military protection systems.

Coordinated by TECNALIA from Spain, ECOBALLIFE brings together 16 partners from six EU Member States. The €10 million project officially kicked-off on 13 September 2023 at the coordinator’s premises in San Sebastián, Spain, and will conclude in 42 months’ time.

Find more information about the ECOBALLIFE project and the consortium here.

ARTURO

The project ‘Advanced Radar Technology in eUROpe’ consolidates state-of-the-art technologies, emerging concepts, and trends in the field of radar technology, responding to future operational needs in the European armed forces.

The consortium is led by Leonardo S.p.A. from Italy and encompasses 25 participants from 11 Member States. The €20 million project kicked-off on 4 and 5 October 2023 in Rome, Italy, and will conclude in 36 months’ time.

Find more information about the ARTURO project and the consortium here.

Over 180 experts from 29 countries, along with more than 30 different institutions and organisations, participated in the sixth conference of the third phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS III) in Malaga. This was the highest level of participation since the start of the project. It underscored the Consultation Forum's status as the biggest European defence energy community. 

CF SEDSS is a European Commission-funded initiative managed by the EDA. 

EDA organised the sixth CF SEDSS III conference on 22-23 November 2023 under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and hosted by the Ministry of Defence of Spain, with the support of Engineering Systems for the Defence of Spain. This plenary conference was combined with the second Energy Technology Solutions Conference, held on 24 November 2023, and an onsite exhibition, showcasing cutting-edge energy technology solutions applicable to defence.  

Conference participants discussed energy efficiency measures in military buildings, electrification of military transport, energy storage, resilience of defence-related critical energy infrastructure and the energy transition. Participants were updated on EU energy policies and strategies.

For the first time, the community welcomed the acting U.S Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, who spoke on the US defence energy technology trends. 

Committed to sustainable energy in defence 

The conference was opened with speeches by EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý, Lieutenant General Luis Cebrián Carbonell, Director of Infrastructures Directorate, Ministry of Defence, Spain, and Paula Pinho, Director, Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission. Brigadier General E. Ruiz Alonso, Chief, Spanish Army General Logistics Base Program Support Office, Spanish Ministry of Defence, gave a keynote speech. 

In his speech, EDA's Šedivý highlighted that the Consultation Forum conference “is more than an examination of energy policy and exhibition of technological advancements. It is a testament to our collective and continued commitment towards sustainable energy within the defence sector." He looked ahead to 2040, where EDA “foresees a transformation in warfare — driven by digitisation and greener consciousness, with climate change at the forefront of security and operational landscapes.”

Lieutenant General Luis Cebrián Carbonell, Director of Infrastructures Directorate, Ministry of Defence, Spain said: “The defence sector is proactively defining its energy and environmental strategies, with a focus on achieving national and European goals for improved energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions."

Paula Pinho, Director, Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission said: “Recent events have also put the Consultation Forum at the centre of the European scene. What started focusing on the secondary issue, developed into a wide and well-established EU action in the defence domain – a network of experts who learned to work together, presenting a blueprint for future European armed forces.”

EDA and the European Commission are working on initiating Phase IV of the Consultation Forum, starting in 2024 and continuing until 2028, Pinho said.

In his keynote address, Brigadier General E. Ruiz Alonso said: “The new Army Logistics Base to be established is meticulously conceived from its inception to seamlessly integrate state-of-the-art advancements in sustainable and efficient energy utilisation. This project is instrumental in cultivating a contemporary sustainable and human-centric environment … to bolster the operations of diverse units within the Spanish Army.” 

2024 event 

The CF SEDSS dissemination event will take place on 25 April 2024 under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU and hosted by the Belgian Ministry of Defence. This will be the final event of CF SEDSS Phase III, where project results and outputs achieved in the last four years will be presented.  

More information:  

• CF SEDSS website 

• Defence and energy communities step up efforts on sustainable energy and publish new ground-breaking climate change study (europa.eu) 

• Climate change and EU defence: released new report analysing the links between climate, energy and defence (europa.eu) 

• Tabletop exercise and new study focus on protecting critical energy infrastructure (europa.eu) 

• EDA-led energy forum meets to reduce defence carbon footprint (europa.eu) 

• Fifth Consultation Forum meets in Prague to promote sustainable energy in defence (europa.eu)