EDA News

Last week, EDA has supervised the third and last simulation session of the OCEAN2020 project: 12 simulations centers from research centers, universities, small and major industries in several different countries across Europe were linked together using the High-Level Architecture standards to run specific scenarios in real time.

The simulation highlighted the central role of unmanned systems in various complex situations such as jamming or bad weather conditions, the use of small swarm of unmanned air and/or surface systems for coordinated research paths, the use of unmanned surface and underwater systems working in a squad for anti-mine warfare or the use of gun and missile systems on unmanned air and surface vehicles. The whole session was monitored by EDA from Brussels using video conference systems. The results and main takeaways will be discussed at a project webinar on 30th March.

Overall, the three simulation sessions proved crucial in preparing the two live sea demonstrations - one held in the Mediterranean Sea in November 2019 and one that is scheduled to take place in the Baltic Sea in August of this year - but also to play complex scenarios almost impossible to execute in real-life.

Although the two demonstrations remain key objectives, the simulation in this project has also allowed the development of new and innovative models for unmanned sensors and platforms in the different simulation centers of this wide consortium which entails 43 entities including large defence industries, small and medium enterprises, universities, research institutes and end users from 15 countries across Europe.

Background

OCEAN2020 is so far the largest project financed by the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) managed by the European Defence Agency on behalf of the European Commission. Its main objective is to demonstrate the improvement of maritime situational awareness by the coordinated use of multiple unmanned systems in the three domains (air, surface, subsurface).

 More information can be found on the OCEAN2020 website and in the factsheet

EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý is currently holding a series of bilateral consultations with Member States’ Brussels-based permanent Military Representatives (MilReps). The aim of the meetings is to ensure the best possible exchange of information between the capitals and the Agency and to listen to the advice of Member States’ military end-users.
 
The latest of those meetings took place this week (23 March) with the Swedish MilRep, Rear Admiral Jens Nykvist (picture above). It will be followed by several others in the coming weeks and months. The meetings are part of a wider outreach to Member States which started last summer when the Chief Executive kicked off a ‘tour des capitales’ – currently suspended by the Covid-19 pandemic – which will see him visit all remaining Member States as soon as conditions will allow.   

“It is important that EDA, as an intergovernmental Agency at the service of its Member States, listens carefully to what our stakeholders’ military representatives have to say. They are the end-users of the capabilities we try to develop together in Europe. Their advice, views and aspirations are absolutely crucial to making defence cooperation and European collaborative capability development a success”, Mr Šedivý commented. 

Besides specific country-related topics such as the involvement in EDA projects & programmes and a general update on key Agency activities, the meetings with the MilReps also address the implementation of the EU defence initiatives (CARD, PESCO, EDF) and the ongoing preparations for the Strategic Compass.

 

The European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) has issued a call for tenders for a landscape study on Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) processes and a common framework for AI knowledge-sharing within the user community.

The study is part of a joint project between EDA and SatCen named MATRIX (Machine-based Algorithms and Tools for enRiched IMINT eXploitation) which aims to foster the creation of a common framework for addressing AI applications that can effectively and efficiently support the needs of the IMINT community, paving the way for future developments. The contractor will perform a study that should serve as a basis for identifying and developing potential AI applications in the IMINT domain.

More information here. 

 

EDA today issued a call for applications from parties interested in participating in the ‘EDA Defence Innovation Prize 2021’ which is dedicated this year to the topic: Innovative solutions & technologies on Human-Machine Interfaces enabling Human-Machine-Teaming for Defence.

The EDA contest is rewarding companies and research entities who come up with innovative and ground-breaking technologies, products, processes or services applicable in the defence domain.

Applicants are called to come up with stimulating innovative solutions & technologies on Human Machine Interfaces to enable Human Machine Teaming for Defence Applications in Air, Land and Maritime platforms. 

Examples of these technologies are:

• Gesture commands
• Head and tracking; eye gesture and wide area eye tracking
• Voice commands and 3-D audio
• Immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality
• Wearable human-machine-interfaces
• Human multi-asset interaction
• Haptic control and feedback
• Virtual Assistants
• Crew Monitoring System such as brain computing interface and pilot sensing and monitoring
• Stress and health monitoring
• Autonomous decision-making functions such as human-AI interaction.

Medical and casualties evacuation, supply chain and precision air drop or intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR) are only some examples of domains where the innovation on these technologies could enable Human Machine Teaming for Defence operations.

The winning idea/concept will be worth 30,000€.

How to apply?

The deadline for submitting applications is 31 August 2021. 

The contest rules and application criteria/details can be found here (plus the annexes to the call for applications here).

The prize winner will be selected by an evaluation committee composed of EDA staff. The prize will be handed over during the 2021 EDA Annual Conference in Brussels later this year.

Submitted innovations must be the applicants’ own intellectual property. However, submissions may include improvements of already existing ideas, new combinations or adaptations of them applicable in a different context. The applicants must demonstrate the innovative added-value of their ideas, compared to what exists already. Proposals must be innovative, implementable through a collaborative project and financially affordable in terms of future development and exploitation.

Who can apply?

The contest is especially (but not exclusively) aimed at non-traditional defence industries (civil or dual-use producers) and researchers as they play a growing role in inventing and creating the disruptive capabilities that Member States’ Armed Forces will need tomorrow. The contest also provides a good opportunity for small and medium sized enterprises, research organisations and universities involved in defence R&D activities to demonstrate their know-how, maximize dual-use synergies and create partnerships with key players in the defence field.

Background

Since 2018, the Agency organises the 'EDA Defence Innovation Prize' which rewards companies and research entities who come up with ground-breaking technologies, products, processes or services applicable in the defence domain. The contest aims to stimulate defence innovation in Europe and provide non-traditional defence stakeholders (civil industries, SMEs, research organisations, universities, etc.) with an opportunity to showcase their know-how in domains relevant for defence.

More information

• Call for applications
• Annexes to call for applications
• EDA Defence Innovation Prize Work Programme 2021
• EDA Defence Innovation Prize webpage
• 2020 EDA Defence Innovation Prize Winners
  
  

How can the findings and recommendations of the first Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) be best used and exploited by Member States in their national defence planning, and notably as regards collaborative capability development? This was one of the key topics discussed at a high-level seminar co-organised this week by EDA and the current Portuguese EU Presidency. 

The two-days hybrid event (9/10 March) gathered defence planners from Member States and was opened by EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý and the Portuguese Minister of Defence, João Gomes Cravinho. 

In his welcome, Mr Šedivý said the seminar came at a very timely moment, just two weeks after the EU Heads of State and Government, during their 26 February European Council debate on security and defence, had reaffirmed their commitment to increase the EU's capacity to act autonomously and encouraged Member States to make better use of the CARD to this end. “With Europe facing more versatile threats and challenges linked to strategic competitors, moving ahead jointly has become a strategic imperative. This seminar gives us the opportunity to discuss some of the practical aspects of taking this political commitment forward”, he said.

“CARD needs to be followed up with concrete actions”

In his keynote speech, Portuguese Defence Minister João Gomes Cravinho praised the added value of the first CARD which “proved to be a very useful pathfinder for cooperation opportunities for joint defence capability development (…) This cooperative approach is the only way forward to have a stronger European defence by dealing with Europe-wide capability gaps”.  However, for CARD to be a real added value, “Member States and the EU institutions have to follow up on the recommendations with concrete actions” and better synchronisation in full complementarity with NATO, the Minister stressed. Therefore, the information gathered from the CARD should inform national defence planning and also inform the upcoming 4th way of PESCO proposals as well as the priorities in the upcoming European Defence Fund (EDF), he said. “We can be stronger together. European defence can be stronger by intensifying our cooperation in the development of capabilities. The CARD process and EDA’s work throughout the year represent, in our view, an invaluable contribution for this objective of being stronger together”, the Minister concluded.  

Three panel discussions

Throughout the two days, participants witnessed three successive panel discussions, moderated by EDA Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP) Director Martin Konertz, focusing on different aspects:

• Making best use of CARD in national defence planning. How do Member States take into account the EU capability landscape, as pictured in the first CARD report, in their national defence planning? and what role do the EU’s prioritisation tools currently play in national defence planning? were some of the key questions debated by the panellists which included Major General Giovanni Iannucci (Head of Plans and Policy Division, Defence Policy and Capability Director, MoD Italy), Brigadier General Georgios Bikakis (Director Concepts & Capabilities, EUMS), Colonel Robert Bieleny (National Capability Director, MoD Czech Republic) and Jānis Karlsbergs (Undersecretary of State - Policy Director, MoD Latvia). 
• CARD Support to Other EU Defence Initiatives. How to maximise the value of the CARD outcomes in its pathfinder function for PESCO and EDF? How do Member States intend to address the focus areas for cooperation identified in the CARD? How could CARD fruitfully inform the Strategic Compass development? These questions and others were debated by Major General Eric Charpentier (National Capability Director, MoD, France), Major General Jorge Côrte-Real Andrade (National R&T Director and Deputy Director of the Directorate-general of National Defence Resources, Portugal), Major General Andre Steur (Director of Operational Policy & Plans, National Capability Director, MoD, Netherlands) and Arnaud Migoux (Head of Defence Sector, EEAS).
• Preparing the next CARD Cycle. What are the expectations of Member States for the next CARD cycle, in terms of defence spending, planning, cooperation and collaborative opportunities, including possible focus areas? This and other questions were debated by the panelists Major General Iñigo Pareja Rodriguez (Chief of Plans Division of Joint Staff, Spain), Rear Admiral Fragkiskos Leloudas (Chief of Policy and Planning Branch, Defence Staff, Greece) and Janez Nedog (Head of Strategic Planning Division, MoD Slovenia).
  
  

Main Takeaways

The seminar was closed by EDA CAP Director Martin Konertz who thanked the Portuguese EU Presidency as well as all participants and attendees. This seminar (the second of its kind following the one co-organised in 2020 with the then Croatian EU Presidency) was extremely useful as it allowed for a fruitful discussion with national defence planners as to how the CARD products and recommendations could be enhanced in the future. CARD is not a top-down exercise but lives with and through Member States’ involvement, Mr Konertz said: thanks to their comments, hints, suggestions and proposals made during this seminar, “CARD will gradually improve” and even better serve its purpose which is to provide national MoDs with a realistic picture of the European defence landscape and support them to find cooperation opportunities. National defence planners will remain in the driving seat but are called to systematically use the CARD tool for the sake of more convergence in European capability development:  “Continued dialogue is key to success in this endeavour”. Hence the idea to develop a “defence planners’ community” to improve this dialogue, simplify the process and further encourage Member States to take ownership/leadership on specific capability areas. 

What are the next steps and how can EDA support them? First, it will continue to closely monitor the budgetary developments and defence spending in the Member States, Mr Konertz said.  Then, EDA’s working groups and bodies will continue to debate the CARD results in their regular meeting and move the practical work forward in support of and together with Member States. Finally, the regular organisation of seminars such as this one would certainly be helpful in keeping up the close dialogue and help build mutual understanding, he stressed.   

More information

• First CARD report 
• CARD project page 
• CARD video 

Numerous technologies used and further developed in the defence domain have civil roots, and vice-versa: Additive Manufacturing (3D-printing), Gallium Nitride, Gallium Arsenide, Graphene, cyber and energy technologies are only a few examples. It makes therefore sense to bring the two sides closer together and promote synergies between them. This was also the objective of an EDA online workshop held this week under the Agency’s ANDES (ANalysis of Dual usE Synergies) project.

Launched in June 2020, the ANDES project aims at developing a Dual Use Technology Transfer Mechanism (DUT2M) to structurally enhance civil-military entanglements on innovation and R&T, for the benefit of both sides.  This week’s workshop, attended by more than 80 participants from 16 EDA Member States, EU institutions, industry, think tanks, academia and research centres, was particularly focused on discussing and defining the most appropriate and promising general framework future civil-military synergies. The main conclusion of the meeting was that there is increasing demand and need for enhancing spin-in/spin-off dynamics in advanced technologies, such as the electronic components, corrosion management or advanced materials. Europe-wide effort

The workshop comes only a week after the European Commission published its Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries. The plan lays the ground to deliver concrete policy actions under three headlines: - enhancing complementarity between relevant EU programmes and instruments to increase efficiency of investments and effectiveness of results (the ‘synergies’); - promoting that EU funding for research and development, including on defence and space, has economic and technological dividends for EU citizens (the ‘spin-offs’); - facilitating the use of civil industry research achievements and civil-driven innovation in European defence cooperation projects (the ‘spin-ins’). 

EDA’s ANDES project intends to support and promote those efforts by identifying valuable recommendations for the EU’s dual use policy, taking into account the present worldwide situation (e.g. relevant examples are USA and China). A particular focus is dedicated to the Dual Use Technology Transfer Mechanism: there are several possible models but the peculiarities of the defence ecosystem require a facilitator between the institutional stakeholders (e.g. European Commission, Ministries of Defence in Member States, EDA and other relevant EU bodies) on the one hand, and the industrial/academia/research community on the other hand. The ANDES workshop showed the active participation from the institutional/governmental and dual use stakeholders and led to the recognition that a structured EU dual use policy will be beneficial for the European defence and more generally for Europe’s economy, especially now as it is strongly affected by the covid-19 pandemic.

Way ahead

Before the completion of the ANDES project (scheduled for mid-2021), policy recommendations will be submitted to the project management board which, beyond EDA staff, also includes representatives from the European Commission and the European Parliament (think tank), with the objective to support future implementation actions in the EU dual use ecosystem.

More information

• EDA webnews on workshop on dual use technologies – components (June 2016)
• EDA assists dual use projects to access funding
• EDA fact sheet “European Structural Funds for dual-use research”
• European Council Conclusions December 2013 (point 18)

 

EDA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have agreed to jointly explore, within their respective remits, all relevant technology and capability opportunities for the gradual evolution and development of Next-Generation Secure Satellite Communication (NGSSC) systems required for the benefit of their respective Member States, user communities and industry. To this end, a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) has just been signed by the two organisations.

The MOI will broaden up the existing ESA/EDA cooperation framed by the Administrative Agreement signed in 2011 and further substantiated by their joint efforts on Governmental Satellite Communications, subject of a dedicated Implementing Arrangement since 2017. Acknowledging the growing strategic importance of satellite communications in security and defence, including in support to Europe’s strategic autonomy, ESA and EDA take the view that additional cooperative steps should be taken to develop secure and resilient satellite communications which respond to Member States’ evolving needs, and also strengthen the competitiveness of the Europe’s industry. 

Secure Satellite Communications – NG SATCOM Infrastructure Exploratory System Studies 

Concretely, the plan is to coordinate both organisations’ activities with the aim of supporting ESA’s ongoing system studies on the Next Generation Satellite Communication solutions that aim in particular to identify systems architectures responding to a wide set of user requirements in the field of secure communications. EDA will be invited to take part in ESA’s study process to provide expertise, information, data and a channel to its user communities which may have a stake in ESA’s exploratory systems study.  Once the study results are available in the course of 2021, ESA and EDA will explore further coordinated steps related to towards the evolution and preparation of NGSSC systems. 

Both parties will also jointly look at how respective user communities may be best serviced, by exploring the relevance of user-segments such as EDA’s EU Satcom Market model and services, as well as EDA’s GOVSATCOM Pooling and Sharing Demonstration project. Furthermore, the two organisations will exploit this new framework to discuss relevant activities in support of EDA’s satellite communications work in the fields of security, guarantee of access and next generation of satellite communications requirements for EU defence, satellite communications training and standardisation. Considering the challenges and stakes, these activities will be synchronised and undertaken in full coordination and transparency with all relevant actors engaged in this domain. The Agencies will furthermore coordinate their views on proposals for GOVSATCOM-related projects in the framework of EU defence initiatives, such as PESCO and the European Defence Fund (EDF). Another objective of the new cooperation is to explore potential joint R&D efforts of relevance to the future implementation of a joint secured satellite communication vision and strategy. Finally, these joint activities will be supported by a security management plan that will cover future cooperation activities and high-level security objectives to be implemented in the context of this cooperation.

EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý welcomed the enhanced cooperation with ESA, stating: “Nowadays, neither national nor multinational military operations are anymore conceivable without the support of space-based systems, especially secure and resilient satellite communication, and their importance keeps growing. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), which delivered a first ever comprehensive defence review conducted at EU level, specifically underlined the importance of cooperation in space and identified the ‘Defence in Space’ as one of the most pressing, most needed and most impacting areas for cooperation and future investment in EU defence. Therefore, increased cooperation between ESA and EDA in this specific domain will not only be beneficial for our Member States and industry but also contribute to strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities”.

ESA Director General Jan Wörner said: “Over the years, our two Agencies have undertaken no less than eight formal cooperation projects, ranging across most space domains. Our partnership is solid and will support ESA Member States and help ensure a resilient civil infrastructure and robust services for citizens”. 

 

Over the past two days, EDA has organised the first ever live-fire cyber exercise specifically dedicated to improving European cooperation between Member States’ national Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs). The exercise gathered more than 200 experts from 17 EDA Member States and Switzerland, all of them connecting remotely from their working locations. The event marked the first practical part of the EU MilCERT Interoperability Conference 2021 (MIC), the second part of which will take place in June in Lille/France where the lessons learnt from the exercise and more strategic topics will be discussed.

The objective of this week’s exercise was to bring together military CERTs and observe incident management dynamics with a particular focus on information-sharing, a key factor in modern cyber defence. While European countries have come a long way in establishing mechanisms and processes to exchange information between civilian CERTs, such cooperation and communication channels are much less developed in the military domain, also due to the high sensitivity of the information. Faced with that, many stakeholders have expressed the need to extend the information sharing practices used in civilian circles also to military CERTs and their operations. The new EU Cybersecurity Strategy, released last December, highlighted that this initiative would contribute to significantly increase cooperation among Member States.
Building upon this background, the exercise goal was to experience and observe the dynamics of incident response during realistic live-fire cyber attacks and to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. The outcome and lessons learned from the exercise - as well as the potential follow-on actions required - will be discussed during the second part of the MIC in June in Lille. This part of the MIC will take place co-hosted by the “Forum International de la Cybersécurité”, a leading Cybersecurity event in Europe. Live cyber attacks  The operational environment created for the exercise is based on advanced Cyber Range technology, with professional attackers based in several Member States launching live cyberattacks against infrastructure defended by teams from other Member States. EDA has been active in Cyber Defence exercises for a long time and supports a multinational EU effort in the domain, the ‘Cyber Ranges Federation’ project started in 2014. The exercise also included some military-specific platforms as part of the simulation, including a drone control system and a space ground control station, to be defended from attacks.
The MIC exercise was specifically designed for military CERTs and included platforms, tools and technology specific to the military domain; the entire exercise scenario was conceived in such a way that it used military planning and strategy similar to what is used in real cyber military operations. The intent was not only to provide a realistic scenario, but also to push participants out of their comfort zone, asking them to use all tools, processes and procedures possible, even those not directly at hand in the exercise platform. This allowed for creating an unusually realistic exercise environment.  “Strengthen Europe’s resilience”

The exercise was opened on Wednesday by the Estonian Minister of Defence, Kalle Laanet, and EDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Olli Ruutu. In this opening remarks, Minister Laanet stressed the importance of European cooperation in cyber defence because Member States all face the same or similar threats. “Today we can see that at the EU level civilian CERTs have established good community and their cooperation is improved continuously. However, military CERTs, which play vital role in cyber defence, are not communicating with the same methods. This is understandable considering the more sensitive information they are dealing with. Yet, despite these limitations, it is still important to offer opportunities for extending information-sharing practices. And this live-fire exercise does exactly that”, the Minister said.   He thanked EDA “without their visionary leadership this event would not have taken place”. The exercise allows to build teamwork at national levels and “will strengthen the resilience of the European societies and Europe as a whole”, the Minister said.  

EDA Deputy Chief Executive Olli Ruutu recalled that the Agency has been supporting Member States’ efforts to develop their cyber defence capabilities for a number of years. Today, EDA cyber activities range from defining key priorities at EU level looking at the capability development, R&T and industrial dimensions to facilitate the development of tangible capabilities (such as the Cyber Ranges Federation platform) and the adoption of emerging and disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and 5G. EDA also runs initiatives in support of Cyber Defence training, education and exercises, he said. “We are working in close cooperation with other EU institutions and agencies, including with ENISA, CERT-EU and the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) in the framework of our quadrilateral Cyber Memorandum of Understanding. And we are also contributing to the EU-NATO cyber dialogue and cooperation in the context of the 2016 and 2018 Joint Declaration, working at different levels with the key cyber actors within the Alliance”, Mr Ruutu stressed. Cooperation between military CERTs is a top priority in EDA’s cyber defence programme as reflected in this exercise and the follow-on conference in Lille in June, he said.

 

The implementation of ARTUS, a project selected under the 2019 call for proposals for the EU Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) managed by EDA, was officially launched at an online kick-off meeting held on 10 February 2021. 

ARTUS stands for ‘Autonomous Rough-terrain Transport UGV Swarm’. The project, with a budget of approximately €1.5 million, was selected following an EU-wide PADR call for proposals on the topic of ‘Future Disruptive Defence Technologies - Emerging Game-changers’, sub-topic ‘Augmenting Soldier Capacity’. 

ARTUS aims at developing a technological feasibility concept and demonstrator for a small swarm of intelligent and autonomously operating Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to support infantry platoons during their missions. The supporting swarm will significantly augment their capacity by: providing substantially added payload for the entire equipment through harsh environments, including densely wooded or sloped areas; reacting autonomously to unexpected developments, such as losses of parts of the swarm; increasing the unit's mobility and flexibility; and increasing the overall protection level of the troops.

The consortium is led by Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V. (Germany) and also encompasses ONERA (France), another well-established R&T organisation, Diehl Defence (Germany), a global player in defence systems, and charismaTec (Austria), a highly innovative SME. The project has a duration of 24 months. 

More information on the consortium can be found on the ARTUS project page.

About the PADR

The ARTUS project is part of the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) 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. By this agreement the Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects launched within the PADR.  

 

EDA’s Steering Board has just approved a list of 10 topics to be assessed by the Agency in the coming months for their potential to be considered ‘Key Strategic Activities’ for the European Union in their endeavour to move towards strategic autonomy in the security and defence domain. The selected topics are all related to either the EU Capability Development Priorities or the defence research priorities jointly agreed in EDA. 

In the wake of the 2016 EU Global Strategy, which defined strategic autonomy in the field of security and defence as a long-term goal, EDA was tasked with identifying ‘Key Strategic Activities’ (KSA) - ranging from technological knowledge to industrial manufacturing skills - which Europe would need to acquire, maintain or further develop in order to be able to produce itself the defence equipment it needs. The aim of the KSA exercise is to identify, and then support, ‘must-have’ technologies and industrial abilities without which an appropriate level of strategic autonomy isn’t possible.  Once selected, the KSA have very practical implications as they will inform Member States’ defence investments and potentially draw co-financing from relevant EU funding instruments, including the European Defence Fund (EDF). 

Annual selection cycle

On 21 October 2020, the Agency’s Steering Board agreed on a revised KSA methodology. One of its novelties is the introduction of an annual cycle to make the KSA work-strand more structured for stakeholders. The first step of the annual cycle is the selection of topics for KSA assessment, based on agreed capability and research priority areas identified in the EU Capability Development Priorities (EU CDPs) and the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda Technology Building Blocks (OSRA TBB). In the selection, the Strategic Context Cases (SCC) and the outcome of the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) are also taken into account. Industry is also consulted.

Topics to be assessed

The 10 topics which were now selected for an in-depth industrial assessment are the following:

• Precision strike on land platform & skills
• Soldier systems
• Next Generation of Energy & Propulsion Systems for Air Platforms
• Counter-UAS (C-UAS)
• Underwater Communication Within UMS
• Underwater Detection
• 5G for defence
• Quantum Technologies (sensing, computing, communication)
• Sensors Network with ISR Sensors
• Military Application of Cloud Technologies.

Way ahead

Based on the agreed list of topics, EDA will now start the development of the ten individual KSA reports within the current annual cycle. The draft reports will be presented to the participating Member States as well as industry in June 2021, while the finalisation of the documents will take place in in September 2021.

KSA reports

EDA has developed 24 KSA reports so far in close cooperation with participating Member States and industry. As some examples, the KSA report on Cyber Defence R&T aims at both assessing and identifying the industrial activities needed to ensure the cyber resilience of information and communication systems being used within the EU members armed forces. The KSA report on Cutting Edge Technologies for Helicopters/Tiltrotors draws attention to the different technological avenues of approach that should be promoted to contribute to EU independent capabilities in the field of helicopter platforms. In addition, other reports explore the different challenges the EU should overcome to harness the full potential of strategic enablers such as Artificial intelligence and Big Data.

 

The OCEAN2020 research project, launched in 2018 under the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), reached an important milestone this week during the second simulation session held under the supervision of EDA’s research team with a view to preparing a second live demonstration scheduled for later this year, under real conditions, in the Baltic Sea.

OCEAN2020 is so far the largest project financed by the PADR which is managed by EDA on behalf of the European Commission. Its main objective is to demonstrate the improvement of maritime situational awareness by the coordinated use of multiple unmanned systems in the three domains (air, surface, subsurface). A key milestone of the project was the first live demonstration in the Gulf of Taranto in November 2019 where five European warships (including four frigates), four unmanned air systems, three unmanned surface systems and two underwater unmanned systems were involved.

 
Preparing the 2nd live demonstration later this year

The aim of this week’s simulation session was to prepare and perform a dry run of the two operational scenarios foreseen for the upcoming second live demonstration in a realistic environment which is scheduled for August 2021 in the Baltic sea (the event initially scheduled for summer 2020 had to be postponed due to the COVID crisis). Under the two operational scenarios planned for the Baltic Sea demonstration, both surface and underwater threats will be dealt with in realistic environments and circumstances.

In concrete terms, the simulation session had a total of eight simulation centres belonging to universities, industries and research centres from four different countries (Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain) connected, which enabled the 18 unmanned systems planned for the Baltic demonstration to operate together. The data and videos provided by all those unmanned assets were shared in real time in the simulated Combat Management Systems used by the different ships involved. Simultaneously, the data and footage were also displayed in a simulated future European Maritime Operations Centre where their objective is to support military decision-makers by providing them with an improved recognised maritime picture.

 
Background

The OCEAN2020 team involves 43 entities from 15 countries across Europe including large enterprises, small and medium enterprises, universities, research Institutes and end users.

EDA’s website www.eda.europa.eu has just received a comprehensive overhaul in an ambition to further improve visitors’ navigation experience and make reading and information search even more straightforward, enjoyable, and efficient.

With EU defence cooperation and EDA’s contribution to it evolving at a sustained pace, a fully-fledged revamp of the website - with refreshed content, structure and visual design - had become imperative to more adequately reflect the Agency’s most recent taskings, activities and achievements. The result is now online: have a look yourself and discover our new website now!

Feedback, comments and suggestions are always welcome: info@eda.europa.eu

Today, the European Defence Agency (EDA) published its annual Defence Data report for the year 2019, detailing defence spending by the 26 EDA Member States. In 2019, total defence expenditure stood at €186 billion, marking a 5% increase on 2018, and making it the highest level ever recorded by EDA since it began collecting data in 2006. EDA’s report also finds almost all Member States increased their overall defence spending in 2019, with significant increases on procurement of new equipment.
 

Highest defence expenditure in 15 years

At €186 billion, total defence expenditure corresponds to 1.4 % of the 26 EDA Member States’ gross domestic product (GDP) and marks the fifth year of consecutive growth. The 5% rise in spending recorded in 2019 represents the strongest increase since the general trend of defence spending was reversed in 2015 following the financial crisis.

EDA’s Defence Data report also finds strong variations in growth in defence spending among Member States, ranging from increases of 0.01% to 125%. Of the 26 Member States, 23 raised defence expenditures compared to 2018, four by more than €1 billion, with only three decreasing their spending in 2019.
 

Defence data 2019 key findings

EDA’s report, based on data provided by Ministries of Defence, also finds that total defence expenditure represented 2.9% of total government expenditure. In 2019, EDA Member States:

• Spent €41.4 billion on defence investments (equipment procurement and research and development) which corresponds to an increase of 19% compared to 2018;
• Reached the benchmark of spending at least 20% of total defence expenditure on defence investment for the first time since 2010 with 22% overall;
• Allocated 83.1% of defence investments to procure new equipment, whereas funding for defence R&D remained limited to 16.9%.

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “European defence spending reaching a new high is a positive development and clear response to Member States’ threat perception. Despite this progression, defence budgets remain vulnerable, with the economic impact of Covid-19 yet to be felt. Increased spending on defence is a positive trend that should be sustained and enhanced going forward with the additional benefit of the EU defence initiatives. The regular review in the CARD framework and the fulfilment of the PESCO commitments should contribute positively to better spending and ultimately to the cooperative development of innovative, interoperable and effective capabilities.”
 

Worrying fall in collaborative defence spending

Despite the rise in total defence expenditure, collaborative defence spending has gone backward. In 2019, Member States spent a total of €7 billion on the procurement of new equipment in cooperation with other Member States, representing a fall of 6% compared to 2017. Member States conducted 20% of their total equipment procurement in cooperation with other EU Member States in 2019, falling well short of the 35% collective benchmark and marking a significant drop off since of the relatively high 27% recorded in 2017.
 

Defence Research & Technology investment continues to lag

In 2019, defence Research and Technology (R&T) spending amounted to €1.7 billion, marking an increase of 13% compared to 2018. However, unlike total defence spending which now surpasses 2007 levels, investment in defence R&T is much slower to recover and remains roughly €380 million below its 2007 high.

Investment in defence R&T remains insufficient and Member States fall collectively short of reaching the collective benchmark of spending 2% of their total defence expenditure on defence R&T. Although 2019 saw a modest rise with 0.9% allocated, up from 0.8% in 2018, no Member State achieved the 2% benchmark with only four nations spending more than 1% of their total defence expenditure on defence R&T.
 

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 26 Member States provide the data. EDA acts as the custodian of the data and publishes the aggregated figures in its booklets.

All data is collated (“total incorporates 26 EDA Member States”), and it has been rounded. Defence expenditure figures are provided in constant 2019 prices, in order to take inflation into account and allow for a comparison across years.

Following the exit of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union, this year’s figures no longer include the defence expenditure data of the UK.
 

Notes for editors

1. EDA Defence Data Report 2018-2019
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.
4. Follow #EUdefence on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) for more and visit our website www.eda.europa.eu.

 
EDA press contacts

Elisabeth SCHOEFFMANN

Head of Media & Communication
T+32 470 87 01 65

 

Paul QUINN

Media & Communication Officer
T+32 2 504 28 24

Today, the European Defence Agency (EDA) published its annual Defence Data report for the year 2019, detailing defence spending by the 26 EDA Member States. In 2019, total defence expenditure stood at €186 billion, marking a 5% increase on 2018, and making it the highest level ever recorded by EDA since it began collecting data in 2006. EDA’s report also finds almost all Member States increased their overall defence spending in 2019, with significant increases on procurement of new equipment.
 

Highest defence expenditure in 15 years

At €186 billion, total defence expenditure corresponds to 1.4 % of the 26 EDA Member States’ gross domestic product (GDP) and marks the fifth year of consecutive growth. The 5% rise in spending recorded in 2019 represents the strongest increase since the general trend of defence spending was reversed in 2015 following the financial crisis.

EDA’s Defence Data report also finds strong variations in growth in defence spending among Member States, ranging from increases of 0.01% to 125%. Of the 26 Member States, 23 raised defence expenditures compared to 2018, four by more than €1 billion, with only three decreasing their spending in 2019.
 

Defence data 2019 key findings

EDA’s report, based on data provided by Ministries of Defence, also finds that total defence expenditure represented 2.9% of total government expenditure. In 2019, EDA Member States:

• Spent €41.4 billion on defence investments (equipment procurement and research and development) which corresponds to an increase of 19% compared to 2018;
• Reached the benchmark of spending at least 20% of total defence expenditure on defence investment for the first time since 2010 with 22% overall;
• Allocated 83.1% of defence investments to procure new equipment, whereas funding for defence R&D remained limited to 16.9%.

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “European defence spending reaching a new high is a positive development and clear response to Member States’ threat perception. Despite this progression, defence budgets remain vulnerable, with the economic impact of Covid-19 yet to be felt. Increased spending on defence is a positive trend that should be sustained and enhanced going forward with the additional benefit of the EU defence initiatives. The regular review in the CARD framework and the fulfilment of the PESCO commitments should contribute positively to better spending and ultimately to the cooperative development of innovative, interoperable and effective capabilities.”
 

Worrying fall in collaborative defence spending

Despite the rise in total defence expenditure, collaborative defence spending has gone backward. In 2019, Member States spent a total of €7 billion on the procurement of new equipment in cooperation with other Member States, representing a fall of 6% compared to 2017. Member States conducted 20% of their total equipment procurement in cooperation with other EU Member States in 2019, falling well short of the 35% collective benchmark and marking a significant drop off since of the relatively high 27% recorded in 2017.
 

Defence Research & Technology investment continues to lag

In 2019, defence Research and Technology (R&T) spending amounted to €1.7 billion, marking an increase of 13% compared to 2018. However, unlike total defence spending which now surpasses 2007 levels, investment in defence R&T is much slower to recover and remains roughly €380 million below its 2007 high.

Investment in defence R&T remains insufficient and Member States fall collectively short of reaching the collective benchmark of spending 2% of their total defence expenditure on defence R&T. Although 2019 saw a modest rise with 0.9% allocated, up from 0.8% in 2018, no Member State achieved the 2% benchmark with only four nations spending more than 1% of their total defence expenditure on defence R&T.
 

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 26 Member States provide the data. EDA acts as the custodian of the data and publishes the aggregated figures in its booklets.

All data is collated (“total incorporates 26 EDA Member States”), and it has been rounded. Defence expenditure figures are provided in constant 2019 prices, in order to take inflation into account and allow for a comparison across years.

Following the exit of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union, this year’s figures no longer include the defence expenditure data of the UK.
 

Notes for editors

1. EDA Defence Data Report 2018-2019
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.
4. Follow #EUdefence on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) for more and visit our website www.eda.europa.eu.

 

EDA press contacts:

Elisabeth SCHOEFFMANN
Head of Media & Communication
elisabeth.schoeffmann@eda.europa.eu
T+32 470 87 01 65

Paul QUINN
Media & Communications Officer
paul.quinn@eda.europa.eu
T+32 2 504 28 24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new study commissioned by EDA has found that, in addition to the well-known regulations on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP), at least six other pieces of chemicals and waste-related legislation have the potential to impact the defence sector and, therefore, need to be closely monitored.

Following-up on the 2016 EDA Study on REACH and CLP , the Agency last year outsourced a study to evaluate the impact of the following six pieces of EU legislation on chemicals and waste might have on EU defence capabilities:

• Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR)
• Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation (POP)
• Ozone Regulation regarding ozone depleting substances (ODS)
• Fluorinated Gases Regulation (F-gas)
• Directive on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
• Revised EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD)/SCIP Database.

The overall aim of the study was to provide detailed information on the impact of the six EU legislations on the defence sector and to propose recommendations on how defence stakeholders, mainly Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and the Armed Forces, could implement these in a more coherent way, in view of mitigating such impact.
A broad consultation was carried out with key stakeholders, including the MoDs of EDA’s participating Member States and Norway (which has an Administrative Agreement in place with the Agency), the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) as well as EU defence industry stakeholders, including the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the National Defence Industry Associations (NDIAs).
 

Conclusions

Based on impact assessments of the first five of the afore-mentioned pieces of legislation (BPR, POPs, Ozone, F-gas, RoHS), the study’s main conclusion is that, by reducing the availability of products leading to a reduction in performance, reliability, or longevity of defence equipment, those regulations have a significant impact on European defence capabilities during the whole lifecycle of defence equipment (design, manufacturing, in-service use and maintenance, disposal) and therefore on the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). Moreover, potential defence exemptions (similar to those foreseen under REACH and CLP, if/when foreseen within the legal texts for these legislations), would not guarantee the availability of the chemicals necessary to maintain defence equipment in the long term, the study concludes.

As regard the revised WFD/SCIP database (6th piece of legislation listed above), the study identifies specific impacts on Ministries of Defence from the implementation of the SCIP database in relation to the setup and management of defence exemption processes (where applicable) as well as potential security risks for MoDs in complex scenarios and the possible existence of a SCIP notification duty for MoDs in some Member States consulted.

Asked about the potential impact from their perspective, defence industry stakeholders consulted under the study expressed serious concerns in relation to the scale and complexity of the notifications they need to make, as well as about potential conflicts with the protection of defence-sensitive/classified information and/or confidential business information (CBI).

Considering that according to WFD Article 9(1)(i) and subject to national transposition, notifications by duty holders to SCIP are legally required as of 5 January 2021, thus have essentially just started, it is important to highlight that the final impact on MoDs is still widely unclear, and that the SCIP impact analysis under the EDA study has been an important first step of a long follow up process.
 

Recommendations

The study also put forward specific recommendations for follow-up actions/activities related to each of the examined EU regulations. It also recommends EDA and its Member States’ Ministries of Defence to exchange good practices in the implementation of the regulations in relation to procurement requirements, to monitor the substances used in defence applications and to raise awareness on commonalities and differences as well as interactions between the different chemicals regulations.

With respect to the revised WFD/SCIP Database, specific recommendations have been developed such as the setting up of a dedicated SCIP activity at the EDA level to further assess and elaborate solutions to mitigate the impacts of the evolving SCIP requirements for defence-related cases in the future, taking into account further experience gained in the meantime.
 

Way ahead

EDA will now further assess the study outcome, together with its participating Member States and in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Based on this assessment, specific EDA activities will be identified/initiated to support Member States mitigate the impact of the six pieces of EU chemicals and waste legislation. 
 

More information:

• REACH (EDA project page)
• EDA Study on the impact of other (than REACH/CLP) European Chemicals/Waste Regulations on the Defence Sector - Final Report - Executive Summary - Annex IV - Annex V - Annex VII

 

This week, experts from 17 EDA Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland (which have Administrative Agreements in place with the Agency) participated in an EDA online workshop to discuss emerging technologies in defence with a particular focus on energy challenges of next generation military platforms. 

The workshop (19-21 January 2021) was part of a wider ongoing series of EDA Technology Foresight Workshops and addressed energy-related and environmental topics and their likely impact on the defence sector, from the security risks created by energy dependencies to potential climate change repercussions and the foreseeable transformations the global energy system will face over the next decades. 

This week’s ‘Energy For Future Platforms’ workshop, supported by Ingeniería de Sistemas para la Defensa de Espana (ISDEFE), brought together 145 European subject matter experts who debated current and future defence related energy technologies and linked R&T needs, covering issues such as energy generation, management and storage for platforms. The discussions involved members from several EDA capability & technology groups (CapTech), including the ones on Missiles and Munitions, Air, Naval and Ground Systems, Guidance, Navigation and Control, Materials and Structures, as well as the Agency’s Energy and Environment Working Group. The opening part of the event consisted of a plenary session where keynote speakers introduced the topic and set the scene, followed by breakout sessions where smaller groups (virtual tables) looked into the energy challenges of future military platforms from a range of different perspectives, including alternative fuels, energy storage, management technologies, propulsion and power generation. The workshop was wrapped up with another plenary session during which the results of the virtual tables discussions were presented and summarised. 
 

EDA analysis 

The workshop results will now be further analysed by EDA in the following weeks with the objective of providing participating Member States with an overview and analysis of upcoming energy-related needs and implications for future military platforms, including gaps and blind spots in the current EU defence energy portfolio. The analysis will also include recommendations on potential EU research goals and synergies in this domain. 
 

Background  

EDA’s Technology Foresight Workshops aim to provide input to the EDA process of technology evaluation, including the identification and classification of technology trends and emerging technologies as well as the prioritisation of important technologies with respect to medium- and long-term capability needs. The output of the workshops is used as background information for relevant defence technologies, to be integrated in EDA Strategic Research Agendas (SRAs) and their Technology Building Block (TBB) roadmaps, as well as the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA) toolchain, the analyses of Key Strategic Activities (KSA) and in the Strategic Context Cases of the 2018 Capability Development Plan (CDP).
 

More information:

• EDA’s Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) 

EDA’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological Nuclear Surveillance as Service (CBRN SaaS) project entered its operational phase today when representatives of the 12 industry members of the consortium in charge of implementing it met for the first time, albeit only remotely due to the Covid pandemic. The aim of the Austrian-lead project, initially launched as a PESCO project but then handed over for the first phase to EDA for practical implementation, is to develop a rapidly deployable 24/7 chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear surveillance capability.

The main expected output of the EDA Cat B project will be a technical demonstrator of an operational plugin module built on unmanned ground and aerial systems equipped with a variety of sensors to deliver real time CBRN surveillance, detection and incident data to create a recognized CBRN picture for both civilian and military purposes. The new equipment will represent a major enhancement of participating Member States’ defence capabilities and potentially also benefit future CSDP missions and operations, as well as NATO and UN operations.
 

A project open to all EDA Member States

Besides Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia are also participating in this PESCO project. However, since CBRN SaaS has been established as an Agency ad hoc project in the meantime it is now also open to other EDA Member States countries.

After the project arrangement between EDA and the four participating Member States became effective on 12 December 2019, the project contract was signed on 19 November 2020 by EDA, on behalf of the contributing Member States, and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), on behalf of the consortium. This was followed by an official kick-off meeting between EDA and AIT last December.
 

Technical demonstrator by spring 2023

In the meantime, the consortium leader (AIT) conducted extensive negotiations with the defence industries of the four contributing Member States to form the consortium. The particular challenge in uniting the different companies was to meet the demanding capability requirements set before. Now that the consortium is complete (see list below), the practical work to develop a technological demonstrator can start. Based on different work packages that have been defined and assigned to the various individual companies, the objective is now to have a fully functional technical demonstrator available by spring 2023. Afterwards, in the course of 2023, it will be tested in each of the contributing Member States under various realistic scenarios. The CBRN SaaS Cat. B project is scheduled to be fully completed by 1 December 2023.
 

Consortium

The following companies are co-contractors in the CBRN SaaS industry consortium.

 

Austria:

• AlT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH – Consortium Leader
• Rosenbauer International AG
• CNS-Solutions & Support GmbH
• Schiebel Elektronische Geräte GmbH
• MUSE Electronics GmbH

 

Croatia:

• DOK-ING d.o.o

 

Hungary:

• GAMMA Technical Corporation
• BHE Bonn Hungary Electronics Ltd.

 

Slovenia:

• C-Astral d.o.o
• lOS Institute for Environmental Protection and Sensors d.o.o
• MIL SISTEMIKA d.o.o
• OneDrone d.o.o

 

 

An arrangement was signed today between EDA, represented by Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý, and the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), represented by Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, on the transfer of ownership of the Agency’s Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator based at the EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM Mali) to the MPCC.

The Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator (SECTD), previously developed as an EDA project, was deployed to EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM) at Camp Koulikoro between October 2015 and March 2016 to test the practical implementation of an intelligent power management system (energy demand management, renewable production and storage) in a challenging military environment. The demonstrator included fixed solar photovoltaic panels on a test building (16KWp), flexible soldier portable solar photovoltaic panels as well as monitoring and metering equipment for water and electricity. Over the six-month test period, the renewable energy systems were not only successfully integrated into the existing camp power architecture (requiring only minimal reconfigurations of the network) but it also led to substantial energy management improvements and cost savings.

Even though it was decided to keep the demonstrator at the camp after the test deployment and let it continue its services and renewable energy supplies to EUTM Mali, it was never the ambition of EDA to remain the owner and remote technical maintenance manager of the system in the long run. Hence the agreement now reached with the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability, as the commander of EUTM Mali, to take over the full ownership rights of the demonstrator on behalf of ATHENA, the mechanism which handles the financing of common costs relating to EU military operations under the EU's common security and defence policy. This arrangement will allow for the demonstrator to continue its services to EUTM in the future under the best technical conditions.

EU Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “The Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator deployed at EU Training Mission Mali, at Camp Koulikoro, has successfully shown under operational and harsh conditions that smart energy management of military camps is not only technologically possible but also profitable. Its handover to the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability, as the commander of EUTM, is a logical step as it offers the best guarantee for the good and smooth functioning of the system in the future”.

MPCC Director General Hervé Bléjean stated: “I would like to thank and acknowledge the European Defence Agency’s support to the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy and its support to our EU Training Mission. The significant energy efficiency that this innovative project provides is tangible benefit to our mission in Mali. Its operational reliance enhances our capability to function in even the harshest of environments and reduces our environmental footprint. I have absolute faith in the ability of our personnel in Mali to ensure its continued operation and development.”
 

Background

The Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator project is only one of EDA’s activities aimed to help Member States make their Armed Forces more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable. For example, EDA also manages the European Commission’s Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) which assist EU Member States’ Ministries of Defence to move towards green, resilient, and efficient energy models.  The Agency has also set up a dedicated ‘Energy and Environment Working Group’ which supports Member States in dealing with the many energy and environment-related aspects in defence.  Furthermore, EDA will also be working closely with the Commission via a new “Incubation Forum” on circular economy in defence to generate cooperative project ideas for Member States, to help steer them toward a more circular defence.

An arrangement was signed today between EDA, represented by Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý, and the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), represented by Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, on the transfer of ownership of the Agency’s Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator based at the EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM Mali) to the MPCC.

The Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator (SECTD), previously developed as an EDA project, was deployed to EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM) at Camp Koulikoro between October 2015 and March 2016 to test the practical implementation of an intelligent power management system (energy demand management, renewable production and storage) in a challenging military environment. The demonstrator included fixed solar photovoltaic panels on a test building (16KWp), flexible soldier portable solar photovoltaic panels as well as monitoring and metering equipment for water and electricity. Over the six-month test period, the renewable energy systems were not only successfully integrated into the existing camp power architecture (requiring only minimal reconfigurations of the network) but it also led to substantial energy management improvements and cost savings.

Even though it was decided to keep the demonstrator at the camp after the test deployment and let it continue its services and renewable energy supplies to EUTM Mali, it was never the ambition of EDA to remain the owner and remote technical maintenance manager of the system in the long run. Hence the agreement now reached with the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability, as the commander of EUTM Mali, to take over the full ownership rights of the demonstrator on behalf of ATHENA, the mechanism which handles the financing of common costs relating to EU military operations under the EU's common security and defence policy. This arrangement will allow for the demonstrator to continue its services to EUTM in the future under the best technical conditions.

EU Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “The Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator deployed at EU Training Mission Mali, at Camp Koulikoro, has successfully shown under operational and harsh conditions that smart energy management of military camps is not only technologically possible but also profitable. Its handover to the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability, as the commander of EUTM, is a logical step as it offers the best guarantee for the good and smooth functioning of the system in the future”.

MPCC Director General Hervé Bléjean stated: “I would like to thank and acknowledge the European Defence Agency’s support to the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy and its support to our EU Training Mission. The significant energy efficiency that this innovative project provides is tangible benefit to our mission in Mali. Its operational reliance enhances our capability to function in even the harshest of environments and reduces our environmental footprint. I have absolute faith in the ability of our personnel in Mali to ensure its continued operation and development.”
 

Background

The Smart Energy Camps Technical Demonstrator project is only one of EDA’s activities aimed to help Member States make their Armed Forces more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable. For example, EDA also manages the European Commission’s Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) which assist EU Member States’ Ministries of Defence to move towards green, resilient, and efficient energy models.  The Agency has also set up a dedicated ‘Energy and Environment Working Group’ which supports Member States in dealing with the many energy and environment-related aspects in defence.  Furthermore, EDA will also be working closely with the Commission via a new “Incubation Forum” on circular economy in defence to generate cooperative project ideas for Member States, to help steer them toward a more circular defence.

Picture: European Parliament 

EDA has just launched a new study to assess the current framework and future prospects of Europe’s so-called ‘U-Space’, which is the airspace for large numbers of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS, or drones), with a view to facilitating a smooth and effective coexistence of civil and military operators into it. The U-Space notion was introduced by the European Commission in its 2016 blueprint for fostering a market for safe, secure and efficient drone operations in Europe. It refers to the low-level airspace and covers the ecosystem of services and specific procedures necessary for reliable and safe drone operations. 

With the expected sharp increase in the numbers of drones operating at low altitude in the coming years, early engagement between the military and civil airspace users as well as the relevant control authorities is paramount to avoid negative implications on safety, security, and defence. Indeed, this low-level airspace is regularly used by military aircraft for operations and training.  

However, military aircraft, different in nature and mission, cannot be expected to be compliant with all normal U-Space requirements applicable to civil aircraft. Hence the need to thoroughly analyse and assess the U-Space ‘ecosystem’ (services, procedures, regulations, etc.) with a view to ensuring that the views of the Armed Forces are duly taken into account during the implementation of the U-space, and their military activities can be seamlessly integrated into it.  

In this respect, the military’s main interests are:

• to maintain the level of safety for military (low-level) operations, to preserve operational effectiveness and to protect search and rescue operations 

• to guarantee the security of military infrastructures, assets and operations 

• and to quantify the financial impact of U-Space implementation on the military and to secure the necessary funding to maintain safety, guarantee security and ensure interoperability.

The overall objective of the study, which is expected to run throughout 2021, is to contribute to an efficient civil-military collaboration in the U-Space. 
  More information 

• EDA project page U-Space study