EDA News

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq travelled to Ljubljana today for talks with Slovenian Minister of Defence Karl Erjavec, State Secretary Miloš Bizjak, as well as other high-level military and industry representatives.

The main topics discussed during the bilateral meetings included the state of play and way forward of the various EU defence initiatives (CARD, PESCO, European Defence Fund) and the implementation of the 2018 EU Capability Development Priorities (CDP). Particular emphasis was put on the need to ensure coherence among the EU defence initiatives and a steady focus on the agreed CDP priorities.

The meetings also focused on Slovenia’s participation in EDA projects and programmes. Minister Erjavec and Mr Domecq for example exchanged views on the next steps regarding the RES-HUB (Defence RESilience Hub Network in Europe) project, an innovative Slovenian project proposal on building a renewable energy harvesting and hydrogen (H2) energy storage capability within the EU. The project was elaborated in the context of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) with the support of EDA.

“Slovenia offers our continuous support to the Agency’s role as the forum for prioritisation, project support and interface towards wider EU policies. Of special importance, we see the Agency’s interactions with the European Commission in regard to its role in establishing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and European Defence Fund. We also believe that EDA as a part of the PESCO secretariat has been crucial in the development of projects, establishing dialogue between Member States and providing coherence between different defence and security initiatives on the EU level.

A project which we will try to facilitate through the EDA format is the project RES-HUB. Further development of this project is essential for us in view of decreasing the carbon footprint in the defence sector. We see this project as a possibility to highlight our efforts during our Presidency in the second half of 2021”, Minister Erjavec said during the meeting.

“It is very important for the European Defence Agency to have a clear idea of what the Slovenian authorities expect from the Agency in this crucial moment of EU defence cooperation. After the successful launch of the different EU defence initiatives, the emphasis is now on the implementation of PESCO and CARD as well as the European Defence Fund. At the same time I welcome Slovenia’s RES-HUB initiative as the project has the potential to contribute to more energy resilient European armed forces, said Mr Domecq.

During his visit, the EDA Chief Executive also welcomed the possibility to exchange with the Slovenian defence industry on matters of EU defence cooperation.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Air Transport Command (EATC) today established a new cooperation framework - through an exchange of letters - that will further strengthen the ties between the two organisations. 

The exchange of letters, which took place at the EDA premises in the presence of EATC Commander Major General Laurent Marboeuf and EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq, builds on the already existing, good cooperation between the two following the trilateral Letter of Intent concluded between EDA, EATC and OCCAR-EA in January 2018 and which focused on the joint optimisation and development of the A400M capability within the remit of EATC.  

The letters exchanged today identify new areas for enhanced cooperation between the EDA and EATC, inter alia: 

• Air Mobility (including airlift,  air-to-air refuelling, aeromedical evacuation, air dropping activity and  logistical and technical supporting functions)
• Fixed-wing training cooperation in the domains listed above
• Military Aviation (including in the context of the Military Airworthiness Authorities Forum and the progressive introduction of a Total System Approach to Military Aviation)
• Military Mobility in the framework of the EU action plan (including ground handling and dangerous goods activities)
• Other cross-cutting activities subject to interactions.

The new cooperation framework will allow EDA and EATC to make the best use of available resources to achieve common objectives within their respective scopes of competence. The EDA Chief Executive and the EATC Commander will meet on an annual basis to discuss the implementation of this cooperation. 

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq welcomed the enhanced cooperation with EATC. “I am confident that, through our cooperation, EDA and the EATC can bring added value to our respective Member States by reducing administrative burden, improving exchange of expertise and facilitating common action thereby avoiding unnecessary duplication and making the best use of our respective resources”, Mr Domecq stated. 

EATC Commander Major General Laurent Marboeuf stated: “I welcome this deeper cooperation with EDA which, through the pooling of expertise of two main European defence organisations, will ease the multinational military operations and support our Participating Nations / Member States in the aviation and Air Mobility domains”.
 

Background

The Eindhoven-based European Air Transport Command (EATC) was established by the Technical Arrangement of EATC on 1 September 2010. The Mission of the European Air Transport Command is to enhance the combined operational capabilities of Participating Nations and improve the effectiveness and efficiency in conducting air transport, air-to-air refuelling, and aeromedical evacuation missions. This multinational headquarter integrates transferred national responsibilities and resources to ensure efficient operational control, to facilitate harmonization and thus to increase interoperability.
 

More information: 

• EDA, EATC and OCCAR-EA enhance cooperation for A400M in-service phase (EDA webnews, January 2018)
• European Air Transport Command website

The EDA Steering Board approved end of August the way ahead for the new Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) to be established in Sintra, Portugal. The European Defence (EDA) together with 18 of its Member States will now develop the technical arrangement (TA) for the opening of this new advanced tactical helicopter training facility by the end of 2022. 

Approval for the centre marks the latest milestone in a long line of important helicopter projects managed by the Agency since 2009.  EDA currently hosts three collaborative helicopter programmes, which fill a helicopter training capability gap in Europe and are a key component of operational capacity building. The three programmes are aimed at improving European interoperability and increasing standardisation of helicopter aircrews through the adoption of common training activities and the use of common Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs). All tactics are developed refined and tested before being included in the Helicopter Exercise Programme Standard Operating Procedures (HEP SOP).
 

Tactics Courses

The Agency’s helicopter work includes a Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC) and a Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC).  The first project focusses on improving the tactical ability of crews through an integrated training course of classroom and simulator instruction that is currently conducted at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in the United Kingdom. The HTC provides a solid foundation for whole crew training and was later developed into the Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course, which takes experienced aircrew and further develops their skills in a “Train the Trainer” course, delivering advanced helicopter tactics and the Helicopter Tactics Instructor (HTI) qualification. The HTIC includes a ground phase delivered in the UK, and a live flying element conducted in Sweden.
 

Helicopter Exercise Programme

The third element of EDA’s helicopter activities is the Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) which brings together multinational helicopter crews and an array of assets (fixed wing, Electronic Warfare, ground troops, Special Forces, etc) in an annual multinational training exercise covering the performance of complex missions in demanding environmental areas. The exercises are conducted under the BLADE banner. The next exercise will be SWIFT BLADE, to be delivered in Belgium and the Netherlands in April 2020.

However, EDA does not have the vocation to be a long-term training provider, but rather a catalyst for cooperative training. The Agency launches initiatives that can provide added value to Member States and when these are consolidated and have reached a sufficient level of maturity, the Agency encourages Member States or multinational organisations to take over the administrative and organisational responsibility of the activities, allowing the EDA to free-up resources and focus on developing new initiatives.
 

Multinational Helicopter Training Centre

EDA has been successfully managing the three helicopter programmes for over a decade, and during the next five year period, they will progressively be transferred outside EDA to the future Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC).

The MHTC will consist of office space for the technical, administrative and training delivery  staff, simulator facilities and a dedicated accommodation block. In addition, it will also develop a more coordinated approach to European helicopter training and will try to harmonise national approaches and drive synergies with NATO doctrine.

The concept development phase of the project was concluded in January 2019 and has now gained ministerial approval to develop the legally binding Technical Arrangement (TA), which will define the objectives, benefits, roles and capabilities of the centre together with agreement on budget and manpower allocation.  The first MHTC project team meeting will be held at EDA in September with the signature of the Technical Arrangement targeted for the end of 2020.

On 5 and 6 September 2019 the kick-off meeting of the TALOS project is held at the European Defence Agency (EDA). TALOS is one of the three projects selected in the 2018 call for proposals for the EU Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) in the field of defence research. A grant agreement for TALOS worth €5.4 million was signed on 26 July 2019 between EDA and the winning consortium led by CILAS.

The Research Action on the topic ‘Toward a European high-power effector’ called TALOS (Tactical Advanced Laser Optical System) was selected following an EU-wide call for proposals organised by EDA closing on 28 June 2018. The action focuses on a research and technological development (R&T) project to design and build a European high power laser effector, to become available for defence applications within the next decade. The winning consortium encompasses a total of 16 participants from nine countries. (More information on the consortium can be found in the TALOS project page.)  

EDA Chief Executive underlined at the kick-off meeting that the scope of the TALOS project was in line with the 2018 Capability Development Plan priorities. In addition, the relevance of the topic is further confirmed by a dedicated Technology Building Block on Laser Weapon Systems, in the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA). 

The TALOS project is part of the Preparatory Action, aimed at testing the mechanisms that can prepare, organise and deliver a variety of EU-funded cooperative defence research and technology development (R&T) activities to improve the competitiveness and innovation in the European defence industry and to stimulate cooperation amongst R&T actors in the EU Member States. 

The signature of this grant agreement continues the path towards EU defence integration and paves the way for developing a future European Defence Fund, especially its research dimension, as part of the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027).  

The PADR implementation is run by the European Defence Agency (EDA) following the mandate via a Delegation Agreement between the European Commission and EDA signed on 31 May 2017. By this agreement the European Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects to be launched within the PADR.  

TALOS kick-off meeting © EDA

 

More information: 

• Financial decision
• 2018 calls for proposals published for PA on Defence Research (EDA webnews, 15 March 2018)
• Factsheet ‘Preparatory Action for CSDP-related research’
• Preparatory Action for Defence Research (EDA project page) 
• PADR TALOS project page

Jorge Domecq, EDA Chief Executive, travelled to Zagreb for meetings with Damir Krstičević, Coatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Gordan Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Mirko Šundov, Chief of the General Staff, Croatian Armed Forces and other high-level representatives in the Croatian Ministry of Defence. 

The main topics discussed during the bilateral meetings at the Croatian Ministry of Defence included the current state of play and way ahead in the implementation of the various EU defence initiatives (PESCO, CARD, European Defence Fund), the implementation of the revised EU Capability Development Priorities adopted in June 2018 and Croatia’s current and potential participation in EDA projects and programmes.  

Mr Domecq and Deputy Prime Minister Krstičević also discussed the defence and security priorities for the upcoming Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. 

“The focus in the defence range during the Croatian presidency will be placed on implementation of defence initiatives such as PESCO, CARD and military mobility, with the emphasis on their coherence and complementarity, as well as on the industrial dimension of defence (European Defence Fund) and on the enhanced NATO-the EU co-operation and further EU efforts in southeast Europe“, said Minister Krstičević, who also announced a defence industry conference with the partners from the EU, during the Croatian presidency. 

“EDA is deeply committed to supporting all its Member States, irrespective of their size. The current and upcoming Presidency are opportunities to further advance the embedding of the EU defence initiatives in the national defence plans and programmes with the aim of achieving a more collaborate, efficient and interoperable European defence”, Jorge Domecq said. In particular, Mr Domecq confirmed the Agency’s interest to support the organisation of a high-level defence industry conference in the first half of 2020. 

Mr Domecq also had the opportunity to meet among others with with Robert Hranj, Vice Admiral, Director of the General Staff, Croatian Armed Forces, Zdravko Jakop, State Secretary, and Luka Barilović, President of Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

On 17 October 2019, NATO and the European Defence Agency (EDA) will co-organise for the first time a joint Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) conference in Europe. 

The conference will bring together key decision-makers from the EU and NATO as well as the wider transatlantic and international AAR community, including industry, to discuss current and future challenges and coordinate efforts in this important domain. The global dimension of the solutions at hand to resolve remaining shortfalls and the role of industry will also be debated.

Confirmed speakers include, among many others, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Camille Grand, and the EDA Chief Executive, Jorge Domecq as well as the Chairman of the Aerial Refuelling Systems Advisory Group (ARSAG), General John Sams, and high-level representatives from Member States and industry. 

During last year’s first AAR conference organised in Europe by EDA, the focus was on ensuring awareness about remaining shortfalls in AAR. This year’s co-organised event will focus on increasing interoperability and will involve industry/manufacturers to debate their role in this process.

Attendance to the conference is upon invitation only.
 

More information

• aarconference.org
• EDA to organize 1st AAR Conference in Europe 2018 (EDA events page)
• AAR (EDA project page)

(picture: Défense Conseil International, DCI)

Joint diving operations involving different EU Member States’ Navies remain almost impossible because up till now, there are no common European diving standards which would allow such cooperation. This lack of interoperability has led to a severe shortage in ships and rescue divers which are indispensable assets in every national or international naval operation.

To enable cooperation and enhance interoperability among Member States' military diving squads, EDA’s Project Team Naval Training launched a ‘Naval Training Support Study’ (NTSS) in 2012, focused on three aspects: navigation training, naval mine warfare, and diving training. The aim of this study, the results of which were presented in 2014, was to provide a landscape of existing capabilities, propose possible common requirements, derive shortfalls based on a gap analysis, and propose recommendations to solve them. As regards Diving Training, the study made several recommendations, including to establish a doctrine concerning military diving (starting with air/ship diver), to establish a shared diving regulation to meet the operational needs, to standardise training & operational qualification criteria and to have a common certification process for diving centres. A follow-up to the NTSS study (phase 2) was commissioned in 2017 and completed in December 2017. It delivered, among others, a comprehensive set of data and analyses of Member States’ national diving standards, a common requirements list for ship divers and minimum qualification standards for military divers. The results were presented to EDA’s Project Team Naval Training in January 2018.

Based on the extended NTSS study and the conclusions of a diving workshop held in La Spezia (Italy) in September 2017, EDA launched a new project in spring 2018 in order to design and conduct a course module to harmonise European ship diving and ship-based rescue diving standards and practices. The overall objective is the identification, recognition and mutual certification of common EU military diving standards.
 

Showcase event held in Toulon

As part of that ongoing project, and in order to test and confirm the practical implications involved in joint diving training and operation, an EDA ‘showcase event’ was held on 3 April 2019 in the harbour of St.Mandrier, near Toulon (France). Four diving teams from Germany, Spain, Poland and Romania participated in this exercise, as well as high ranking naval officers from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Poland and Romania. The aim was to conduct joint interventions under real conditions based on realistic naval incident scenarios and to demonstrate how the proposed common standards would successfully work in practice. As an example: Romanian and Polish divers worked hand in hand to recover an anchor while Spanish and a German diving team jointly inspected a Frigate’s hull and performed repair work on a pier using heavy underwater welding equipment. The practical part of the event was complemented by a static display of different equipment and procedures ashore.

The event was hailed as a great success by all participants.  EDA’s Project Team Naval Training was encouraged to continue promoting the identified standards and seek their swift endorsement by EU Member States as a next step.  Commodore Michael Malone, Flag Officer Commanding the Irish Naval Service, who attended the event commented that “EU common diving standards will facilitate greater pooling and sharing of diving training across Member States, while enhancing interoperability”.

EDA has launched a 3rd call for papers from defence industry, academia and research institutes on the topic of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) in the context to EDA’s Industry Exchange Platform on RPAS Air Traffic Integration (ATI).

The call focuses on RPAS ATI in European airspace in the timeframe 2025-2030 and aims at gathering industry proposals on new R&D and validation activities needed in the RPAS ATI domain in the following technical areas:

• Health Monitoring
• Remote Pilot Stations

The responses to this call for papers will drive the ideation of potential project proposals during the 3rd formal meeting of EDA’s RPAS ATI Industry Exchange Platform which will take place at EDA on 8 November 2019. They will also be used to update the RPAS ATI Industry Exchange Platform contributors list, in view of potentially inviting additional industry participants to this initiative.  

 
How to submit 

• Download the call for papers here
• Send your completed files to ise@eda.europa.eu with a copy to juanignacio.delvalle@eda.europa.eu 
• Deadline for submissions is 27 September 2019

 
Background

EDA’s RPAS ATI Industry Exchange Platform is part of the Agency’s approach towards establishing a structured dialogue and enhanced engagement with industry based on a set of priority actions, as supported by the EDA Steering Board on 18 May 2017. The initiative is in line with the coordinated approach amongst the main European stakeholders in Single European Sky.

The purpose of EDA’s RPAS ATI Industry Exchange Platform is:

• to establish a regular dialogue with industry on a key priority: MALE RPAS integration in the European ATM System in the 2025 – 2030 timeframe
• to share information on current R&D initiatives and strategies, also on industry side, in the RPAS ATI domain
• to identify technology gaps and solutions that can benefit both civil and military applications.

 
Contact

Juan Ignacio DEL VALLE
Project Officer Air Programmes
juanignacio.delvalle@eda.europa.eu
T+32 2 504 29 26

 

 

 

 

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is as of now on included in EDA’s 'Identifunding' online tool accessible via its European Funding Gateway for Defence. The tool, launched in March 2019, allows defence-interested stakeholders to identify on a personalised and tailored basis the precise EU funding schemes available for their specific defence-relevant projects.

The funding opportunities that are scanned through IdentiFunding include grants, loans and equity, including under the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), the EU Structural Funds, COSME, LIFE and Erasmus+.
 
The EIB has now agreed to add its project loans to the spectrum of more than 20 funding sources at European level that are scanned instantly by the ‘IdentiFunding’ tool based on a confidential and swift 10-minutes/10-answers process.

The above-mentioned EIB financing intervenes when the requested volume is higher than €7.5 million. These loans can cover up to 50% of the total cost for both public and private bodies for projects in line with EIB’s lending criteria and  priorities.

EDA and the EIB signed a cooperation agreement in February 2018 to support investments in defence research and development activities, with a view to strengthen the EIB’s support for RDI for dual-use technologies, cybersecurity and civilian security infrastructure.

The main aim of the IdentiFunding tool is to save budget, time and human resources usually required for defence stakeholders in order to identify whether their project and entities qualify for potential EU support. It is available to industry, Ministries of Defence (MoDs), Research-and-Technology-Organisations (RTOs) and academia.

More than 180 defence-interested entities from 26 EU Member States are already registered as ‘IdentiFunding’ users, e.g. MoDs, Armed Forces, National Defence Industry Associations (NDIAs), defence-related clusters, primes/large companies, mid-caps, Small-and-Medium-sized-Enterprises (SMEs), RTOs and universities.

EDA’s ‘IdentiFunding’ will be constantly updated to also include new funding opportunities arising under the EU’s upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, such as the European Defence Fund and the InvestEU Programme.
 
 

More information:

• EDA-EIB Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
• EDA SME corner
• EDA Industry Engagement Roadmap 2019

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq was in Lisbon today for talks with the Portuguese Minister of National Defence, João Cravinho, as well as with the Director-General for National Defence Policy, Nunho Pinheiro Torres, the Director-General for Defence Resources, Alberto Coelho, the Political Director-General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pedro Costa Pereira, the Director for Defence and Security, Jorge Aranda, as well as the Deputy Political Director-General for Defence and Security, Ana Paula Moreira. He also met with representatives of the Portuguese Defence Industry. 

The main topics discussed during the meetings included the practical implementation of the revised EU Capability Development Priorities adopted in June 2018 (especially through the Strategic Context Cases developed by EDA) as well as the state of play and way ahead in the implementation of the EU defence initiatives (PESCO, CARD, European Defence Fund). In this respect, particular emphasis was put on the need to ensure coherence among all those initiatives and a steady focus on the agreed CDP priorities. Portugal’s current and potential future contributions to EDA projects and programmes, the implications of the Agency’s recent Long-Term Review, EU-NATO relations, Military Mobility and the defence and security related priorities of the upcoming Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU (first half of 2021) were also discussed. 
 

Multinational Helicopter Training Centre

Mr Domecq thanked the Portuguese authorities for their willingness to host the future Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) which should open its doors in 2021 at Sintra Airbase. The Centre will secure a long-term home for EDA’s three helicopter projects: HTC, HTIC and HEP, which have been successfully sponsored by the Agency since 2009.  The MHTC concept was agreed by the EDA Steering Board on 18 February 2019 and covered objectives, missions and expected structure of the centre. Subject to a further Steering Board decision, the MHTC Project Team could begin its work in autumn to produce the Technical Agreement (TA) that will form the legal basis for the Centre’s operations.  “We very much appreciate Portugal’s very strong support to EDA’s helicopter activities and look forward to a close working relationship with the host nation”, Mr Domecq commented. 

Minister Cravinho stated: "It will be a great satisfaction to host the Multinational Helicopter Training Centre, in Sintra. The Ministry of Defence and the Portuguese Air Force developed a strong business case in order to show that Portugal could host this training centre of great importance for several European countries, and we are very pleased that this has been recognized". 

"Portugal is very pleased to work closely with the EDA. EDA plays a unique and necessary role in the development of Europe’s Defence Identity, which we believe to be of great significance in this very rapidly changing world. European defence cooperation has expanded in an unprecedented manner in the past couple of years, and Portugal is keen to participate in this process", Mr Cravinho added.

 

Senior officials of the four agencies signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), the European Defence Agency (EDA), Europol and the Computer Emergency Response Team for the EU Institutions, Agencies and Bodies (CERT-EU) met today at the EDA premises.

The purpose of the meeting was to update each other on relevant developments and to assess the progress made so far in the implementation of the MoU. The Memorandum, signed in May 2018, provides a framework for cooperation through which the four organisation can leverage synergies  in order to achieve a safe and open cyberspace and to promote civil & military synergies. 

Significant progress has been achieved since the MoU entered into effect in June 2018, notably a continuous exchange of views on top cybersecurity aspects (including policy, technical, operational items), reciprocal participation to events and a better understanding by respective staff of how the four Agencies can work together..

The collaboration roadmap prepared by the MoU working group, which contains concrete activities and deliverables scheduled throughout 2019, has been reflected in the Agencies’ respective work programmes, ensuring improved coherence. The main focus of the roadmap is on training and cyber exercises, building on the cooperation capacity and the improved exchange of information on respective projects and events. The aim is to complement the respective work of the four partners and avoid duplication of efforts, also taking into account broader EU initiatives in the cyber domain. 
 
As part of the cooperation, the four Agencies are planning to organise another major event in the second part of 2020. They also want to pay additional attention to improving incident response mechanisms and processes as well as increased joint participations at high visibility events in the cybersecurity and /cyberdefence area.
 

More information:

• Four EU cybersecurity organisations enhance cooperation

 

Picture: vibration test on a munitions lot

Last June, EDA’s 2019 ‘Round Robin Test’ was launched with the participation of nine laboratories from seven EDA Member States (Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Cyprus) as well as from Norway (which has signed an Administrative Agreement with the Agency). The initiative is designed to compare test results obtained in different Member States laboratories working on ammunition safety.

These multinational tests, organised on a yearly basis under the auspices of EDA, are a central tool established by the European Network of National Safety authorities on Ammunition (ENNSA) whose objective is to enhance cooperation and interoperability between national authorities in charge of ammunition safety. 

In a Round Robin Test (RTT), the results of different laboratories are all considered to be at the same level of quality: the intent is thus not to verify the accuracy of the results obtained from each and every laboratory by comparing them with the reference exact result, but rather to verify the dispersion of the data and the possibility of using a certain standard to obtain reliable results (within a certain range of errors considered tolerable), under different conditions. Therefore, what is evaluated in an RRT is the standard itself, not the performance of the laboratories. A successful RRT provides the assurance that the standard used is suitable to generate ‘reproducible’ results. A failed test, on the other hand, can help to highlight the need to amend and/or supplement the standard.
Focus on Energetic Materials

This year’s RRT is focused on the characterization of Energetic Materials, which are key components of any kind of ammunition, and more specifically on propellants (single-base nitrocellulose) and high explosives (HMX). All nine participating laboratories will soon receive samples from the same explosive batch and will be required to perform identical tests, all referring to explosive sensitivity and thermal stability, in particular: impact sensitivity, friction sensitivity, Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA),

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Heat Flow Calorimetry (HFC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The test is led by one of the most experienced European laboratories in this field, the Polish Laboratory of Combat Assets Testing of the Military Institute of Armament Technology (MIAT), located in Zielonka, near Warsaw. Coordinator of this test is Agata Kamieńska-Duda, Head of MIAT’S Ammunition Test Laboratory.
 

Room for improvement

Bogdan Krysiński, the current chairman of ENNSA, is responsible in MIAT for testing ammunition after long-term storage. He insists on the substantial added value provided by the annual Round Robin Tests initiative but also believes it could be further improved.  “The RRT initiative is very valuable in many aspects. First of all, it allows everybody to compare research capabilities among the institutes and exchange experience among the researchers. However, it would be wrong to claim this is enough. Science never stops. Better methods of ammunition performance should be continuously sought for in order to provide a more precise assessment of its safety and operational reliability”, he commented. 

“For many types of ammunition and their components it will be probably necessary to introduce a broader scope of testing than that used within the current RRT. Another issue is the need to develop unambiguous templates of documents for the preparation of the tests, as well as for the recording and reporting of the test results. Recent experiences confirm the importance of this. Continuous improvement of the Round Robin Test programme is thus something we should keep in mind for the benefit of all”, he stated.
 

Background

In 2010 the EDA Steering Board approved the establishment of the European Network of National Safety authorities on Ammunition (ENNSA) with the primary task to facilitate communication among the national bodies which are in charge of ammunition safety. The focus of ENNSA, as agreed by its members, was to explore the harmonisation of ammunition qualification to improve interoperability and increase cooperation among Member States, in parallel with achieving savings across the ammunition production/procurement cycle. One of the basic tools designed for this purpose is the Round Robin Test (RRT) programme.  It serves to compare and validate test results obtained in different laboratories of the Member States working within the area of ammunition safety.
 

 

The EDA SES Military Aviation Board (ESMAB) today held its 7th meeting at policy level. The meeting, which took place at the EUROCONTROL premises, was chaired by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.

The meeting was attended by the European Commission’s Director General for Mobility and Transport, Henrik Hololei, the Chairman of the EU Military Committee (EUMC), General Claudio Graziano, the Director General of Eurocontrol, Eamonn Brennon, the Commission Director for Aviation, Filip Cornelis, as well as representatives from a wide range of key aviation stakeholders, notably the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU), the SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM), NATO, the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE), the Performance Review Body (PRB) and the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). Also present were representatives from the four countries EDA has concluded Administrative Agreements with (Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, Ukraine). The ESMAB policy level is comprising Member States’ military aviation authorities or equivalent.

The meeting allowed participants to have an informal high-level exchange of views between the main civil and military actors involved in this domain, with a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities for civil and military collaboration in on Single European Sky. 

One of the operational conclusions of the meeting was that the ESMAB agreed to support the document “U-Space, Drones and Military Low-Level Flights” including its annex “Operations for traffic below 500ft AGL: a Military view” and to use this document at national and EU level, as a basis to increase awareness of and support for the interests of military aviation in the framework of U-Space developments. This document will be updated as a living document on a regular basis considering other aspects enlarging the scope of the analysis. The Board also welcomed the EDA-EASA guidelines for the accommodation of military instruments flight rules (IFR) for MALE RPAS under GAT (airspace classes A-C) outside segregated airspace and agreed to use the guidelines as a reference for the accommodation of MALE-type RPAS within the European airspace..

Regarding Higher Airspace Operations, the ESMAB agreed to Support the European Defence Agency activities to monitor the work led by EASA as regard the regulatory framework and the work led by SESAR Joint Undertaking and EUROCONTROL as regards the concept of operations for Higher Airspace.

The ESMAB management was also tasked, with the support of EDA, to further investigate the need to establish of a working group involving Member States representatives, as well as representatives of relevant civil and military organisations (NATO, ECTL, EASA, ICAO, etc.) with the objective to together address the cyber security challenges for the air domain, and to revert to the ESMAB (policy level) with a proposal.

The next policy level meeting of the ESMAB is scheduled for end of January 2020.
 

Background

An EDA SES Military Aviation Board (ESMAB) was created by the European Defence Agency Steering Board on 30 September 2015. Ever since, ESMAB meets at two level : - management/expert level and executive/policy level.

Rules and regulations of the civilian world can have an important impact on the military. Consequently, EDA is now recognised as the interface between Member States, EU institutions and agencies. A prominent example is the impact the Single European Sky and its related regulations have on the military. EDA, in its role of interface and facilitator of the coordination of military views is making the military voices heard in this important modernisation process through its successful cooperation with the European Commission, Eurocontrol, and other key EU bodies and agencies involved in SES. This is also achieved thanks to EDA participating Member States’ commitment to the ESMAB which held its first meeting in May 2016.
 

More information: 

• EDA in Single European Sky (project page)
• The Military In SES / SESAR

 

 

EDA’s Steering Board in Capability Directors composition today endorsed the first edition of the Strategic Context Cases (SCC) which will guide the practical implementation of the 11 EU Capability Development Priorities approved by EDA Member States in June 2018. The SCC should ensure the priorities are implemented in a way that improves the coherence of the European capability landscape and leads to cooperative projects which contribute to close identified capability shortfalls.

The 11 SCC – one for every priority agreed last year (*) – describe in concrete terms what the current capability situation is, including the activities planned or already ongoing at national and/or multinational level in order to address the shortfalls. The outcomes of the NATO Defence Planning Process and the activities undertaken in the context of the Framework Nations Concept (FNC) are also taken into account in order to ensure coherence of output and avoid unnecessary duplication.

The SCC highlight in particular the major challenges to the coherence of the European capability landscape in each of these areas in the short, medium and long term. “We all know that there are pressing capability challenges across the whole spectrum. For example, there is a growing threat from the use of mini-drones to our military forces”, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq commented. “The SCC will provide concrete and tangible gains across the Member States in addressing this issue in the short, medium and long term”. They also provide guidance to address these challenges by offering ‘avenues of approach’ for potential cooperation between participating Member States that could help achieve the priorities and improve the coherence of the European capability landscape.

The SCC are integrating documents: each of them also reflects the R&T priorities identified in the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA) and related R&T activities linked to each capability priority. Cross references of the SCC to the Key Strategic Activities (KSA) which are considered important for the implementation of the priority such as technologies, skills and industrial manufacturing capacities will be added once the KSA reports are approved by the Steering Board.

To prepare the SCC, EDA worked closely with Member States, the EU Military Committee (EUMC), the EU Military Staff (EUMS) and European industry which was consulted to collect their views on technological solutions to close identified capability gaps and face the new security challenges. The Agency also ran staff to staff meetings with NATO to ensure activities developed by participating Member States within NATO are correctly reflected.

The next step in the elaboration of the first edition of the SCC will happen in February 2020 when EDA will present to the Steering Board part two of the SCC containing roadmaps of ongoing capability development activities and possible new ones which, subject to the necessary ad-hoc decisions by Member States, could be taken forward in the Agency framework. The SCC are living documents and will be updated by EDA over time, also on the basis of Member States’ feedback, to make sure they always reflect the latest developments in the implementation of each and every priority.
 

Background

In June 2018, the EDA Steering Board in Capability Directors formation endorsed the 2018 Capability Development Plan (CDP) and approved the 2018 EU Capability Development Priorities. In their Council conclusions adopted on 25 June 2018, Member States agreed that “these priorities, as a key reference for Member States' and EU's capability development, will inform CARD, PESCO and the European Defence Fund, which bring a step-change in defence cooperation, thus contributing to coherence among these three distinct but mutually reinforcing initiatives”. The June 2018 Steering Board also tasked the Agency to start the preparatory work for the implementation of the 2018 EU Capability Development Priorities, including with a view to the elaboration of SCC. In November 2018, the Steering Board tasked the Agency to proceed with the development of the SCC and to come up with a first edition by June 2019. Endorsed by the Steering Board, the SCC will now be forwarded to the Council as agreed by the Member States in the Council conclusions of 17 June 2019.
 

More information: 

• 2018 EU Capability Development Priorities (EDA brochure)
• CDP factsheet

 

(*) The 11 EU Capability Development Priorities approved by Member States in 2018 relate to the following domains:

• Ground Combat Capabilities
• Enhanced Logistic and Medical Supporting Capabilities
• Naval Manoeuvrability
• Underwater Control contributing to resilience at Sea
• Air Superiority
• Air Mobility
• Integration of Military Air Capabilities in a changing Aviation Sector
• Enabling capabilities for cyber responsive operation
• Space-based information and communication services
• Information Superiority
• Cross-Domain Capabilities contributing to achieve EU’s Level of Ambition. 

 

 

EDA today celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a ceremony in its premises attended by the Head of the Agency, Federica Mogherini, high representatives (Ministers, Deputy Ministers, State Secretaries, Chiefs of Defence, Ambassadors) from its 27 Member States and the four associated countries, the Chairman of the EU Military Committee, Deputy Secretary-Generals of the EEAS, the Director General of the EU Military Staff, several European Commissioners and Commission Director-Generals, Executive Directors and senior officials of all EU institutions and agencies, NATO senior representatives as well representatives from the European defence industry and the media.  

In her commemoration speech, Federica Mogherini, the Head of the Agency, recalled the tremendous progress made in European defence cooperation over recent years - especially since the publication of the EU Global Strategy in 2016 - and stressed the role played by EDA in this endeavour. “Five years ago, no-one imagined how far we would come. European defence cooperation has expanded like never before. We have created the instruments to make European defence cooperation become the norm. And the Agency has been at the core of all our work and of all the progress that we have achieved together”, she stated. “All this work wasn't just long overdue. It was urgent and necessary. All of our Member States, today, need European cooperation to guarantee the security of our citizens. European defence is first and foremost about the security of European citizens”.

With CARD, PESCO and the European Defence Fund (EDF), the EU has put in place the tools it needs to enhance defence cooperation and make it work for the benefit of a stronger and more efficient, coherent and interoperable European defence. “The European Defence Agency has made essential contributions to crafting these initiatives all along the way, and it is now central in their implementation. The Agency is the secretariat for both the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence and on PESCO, together with the European External Action Service and the EU Military Staff. And you are working with Member States so that their defence budgets incorporate our common Capability Development Plan", Ms Mogherini said. "In these years, I have seen this Agency grow and adapt to new tasks and challenges – and let me thank everyone who works here for your professionalism and flexibility. Your role is now more important than ever, and it will be essential to ensure that EDA always has the means to fulfill its new tasks", shed added. 

The Head of the Agency concluded by saying: "It was a privilege for me to be Head of the Defence Agency in this extraordinary moment for European defence. It has been an honour to lead the Agency in these five years, and up until its fifteenth birthday. And whatever will happen next, I know that there are some great professionals here, working every day to make our cooperation more effective, our industry stronger, and our continent more secure.So let me thank you for these years together, and happy birthday to everyone at EDA".  
 

“EDA is and will remain a central institution of European defence”

Previously, in his opening address as the representative of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, Romanian Defence Minister Gabriel-Beniamin Leș commended the Agency “for its substantial contribution and support to European Defence efforts” throughout the past 15 years. EDA is nowadays recognised as a “key player” in advancing the EU’s role in security and defence, he said. The Agency’s Long-Term Review was “natural” and necessary to keep it fit for purpose. The enhancement of the Agency proved relevant, especially when looking at the crucial role EDA plays nowadays as part of the CARD and PESCO secretariats and in the implementation of the EU defence initiatives in general, the Minister stated.  “We encourage the Agency to continue to support the development of a common understanding regarding the new EU defence initiatives, including the possibilities of simplifying the processes and rules, to continue pursuing coherence of these initiatives and to further contribute to the coherence of output and timelines between relevant EU and NATO processes”, Mr Leș stated. Member States, too, have to change and adapt the way they do defence planning, he said. “PESCO, CARD, EDF are not just political initiative, but they need to become national defence planning instruments. We count on EDA support in this regard”. The Minister, who thanked for the “excellent cooperation” during the Romanian EU Presidency, concluded by saying: “EDA is and will remain a central institution of European defence. As an intergovernmental organisation, it will continue to be closely attached to the needs of the Member States, and this is the main feature that we need to preserve. Romania will remain a strong supporter of EDA as it has always been. You can count on us”. 
 

Working for more coherent European capability landscape

 In his welcome words to the 200 external guests and EDA staff, Chief Executive Jorge Domecq stressed that since its creation in July 2004, the Agency and the 700 colleagues who worked for it over the past 15 years were always (and still are) driven by one central commitment: to help Member States improve their defence capabilities through cooperation, by working together. “Our mission is very clear: to support Member States in the development of their defence capabilities. All our work is geared towards making this mission a reality”, he said. The Agency can be proud of what it has achieved so far in circumstances that were difficult at times, he said. Not only has it established itself as the “main architect of EU defence capability priorities” thanks to the roles it plays in steering the Capability Development Plan process, the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda and the identification of Europe’s Key Strategic Activities, but it is also recognised as Europe’s central hub for multinational capability development and manager of collaborative defence research, as Europe’s common training ground for common enhanced interoperability as well as the military’s voice and interface in other EU policies. Most importantly, EDA is increasingly seen as the guardian of coherence among the new EU defence initiatives (CARD, PESCO, EDF). “I am proud of the impact this house makes, in the interest of a more coherent European capability landscape owned and used by our Member States”, Mr Domecq said, calling Member States to make “full use of EDA’s potential”.
 

More information

• Special 15th anniversary edition of ‘European Defence Matters’ magazine
• Speech by Federica Mogherini, Head of EDA (video)

 

 

The latest European Defence Matters magazine (N°17) is now available. This special edition is entirely focused on the European Defence Agency’s 15th Anniversary which is being celebrated this summer. Together with previous and current stakeholders, decision-makers and partners, we look back at how the Agency has evolved over the past 15 years, what it has achieved so far and what its future prospects are.  This special 15th Anniversary edition is already available in PDF and will soon also be accessible via online version.

After a foreword by Federica Mogherini, the Head of the Agency, the magazine reviews the events and developments in 2002/2003 (European Convention, Thessaloniki European Council, etc.) which led to the creation of the Agency in 2004. Javier Solana, the first EU High Representative for the Common and Security Policy (1999-2009) and first Head of EDA (2004-2009), also shares his recollections and analyses in an interesting and exclusive article for European Defence Matters.

We also sat down with those who, as Chief Executives, have steered the Agency through 15 exciting yet challenging years: Nick Witney (2004-2007), Claude-France Arnould (2011-2015) and Jorge Domecq who is currently (since 2015) in charge. Alexander Weis, who served as Chief Executive from 2007-2011, could unfortunately not attend this joint interview.

Member States’ views on EDA’s role and achievements in EU Defence are represented in this magazine by Finnish Defence Minister Antii Kaikkonen who explains in his contribution why the Agency is “the right intergovernmental platform for joint capability prioritisation, planning and development”.

In a series of six articles, we then describe and assess what can probably be considered as EDA’s main achievements over the past 15 years during which the Agency has established itself as: - the main architect of EU defence capability priorities; - the manager of European defence research; - the European hub for multinational capability development; - the military voice and interface for EU policies; - Europe’s training pitch for enhanced interoperability; - the guardian of coherence among the newly set-up EU defence cooperation tools.

In the ‘Industry Talk’ section, MBDA’s new CEO Eric Béranger shares his views on how European defence cooperation in Europe (and EDA’s role in it) have evolved over the past 15 years and what the industrial prospects and challenges are for the future. He also touches upon the implementation of the recent EU defence initiatives (CARD, PESCO, EDF).

The NATO view on European defence, EDA and EU/NATO cooperation is provided for this magazine by former NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy & Planning, Heinrich Brauss, who is now a Senior Associate Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

Thoughts and reflections by representatives of some of EDA’s main partner organisations as well as a very interesting and inspiring outlook analysis (‘Quo Vadis EDA?’) by Dick Zandee, Head of the Security Unit of the research department of the Clingendael Institute in The Hague) round off this very special European Defence Matters magazine.     

Have a look immediately – and enjoy!
 

More information:

• Special 15th Anniversary edition - European Defence Matters N°17 (PDF)

 

Two EDA projects - one related to the sharing of spare parts and the other to additive manufacturing (3D-printing) - were involved in the CAPABLE LOGISTICIAN 2019 (CL19) exercise, Europe’s largest international logistics exercise, which took place at the Drawsko Pomorskie training area in the Northwest of Poland from 3-14 June. The event was organised by the Multinational Logistic Coordination Center (MLCC), a multinational sponsored centre for all issues related to multinational logistic cooperation.

Some 3,400 troops from 31 countries (including 21 EU Member States) as well as representatives from 11 international organisations participated in this event. The exercise provided participants with a rare opportunity to test and train logistic procedures within a realistic multinational operational context under real life conditions. EDA was present at the exercise with two projects:

• the Sharing of Spare Parts project (SoSP) launched in 2015 by 12 EDA Member States. In a nutshell, it provides a simplified request-and-response mechanism for the exchange of military services and spare parts between the participating MoDs, based on agreed standards. It offers different ways to compensate for the loan of equipment, including through a barter mechanism. Using the SoSP process is cost-free for contributing Member States. A dedicated SoSP handbook has been developed, setting common standards and processes. The reason why SoSP was brought to the CAPABLE LOGISTICIAN 2019 exercise in Poland was to test and validate its accuracy and applicability, which was done with success.  Now that it has been validated, the SoSP process handbook is considered ‘mission proven’ and ready to be used by the contributing Member States’ MoDs.
• the Additive Manufacturing (AM) project. AM is widely considered as a potential game-changer as it could, inter alia, help reduce the logistic footprint of military missions. In 2018, EDA commissioned a feasibility study on AM with regard to EDA R&T activities. As a follow-up step to move onward from R&T to capability development, EDA proposed to Member States to test AM during a military exercise under real-life conditions. Together with France and Spain, EDA prepared the AM test which took place during the CAPABLE LOGISTICIAN 2019 exercise. Concretely, EDA deployed an AM Demonstrator in the form of a 20 ft standard container equipped with PolyJet and Fused Deposition Modelling technologies, 3-D scanner and appropriate software. Prior to the exercise, specific spare parts for military assets used at the exercise were identified by France and Spain. All of them could be printed during the exercise. Furthermore, the exercise showed that using a 20 ft container for the printing ensures logistical flexibility in the operational support and reduces the logistic footprint of a military operation. AM is thus a useful alternative to classical warehousing in military logistic supply chains, ensuring increased availability of spare parts, considerable time and cost savings as well as operational flexibility.

During the CAPABLE LOGISTICIAN 2019 Visitors Days, EDA had the opportunity to present AM as a potential technology for military purposes and has received a lot of positive feedback. The discussions during the Visitors Days underlined the necessity of establishing a forum within EDA for subject matter experts to exchange experiences and discuss logistic processes, technology developments and legislative issues to further promote AM and support Member States in their efforts to better use the AM potential to develop a military capability, as also highlighted in the 2018 Capability Development Plan (CDP) and the subsequent Strategic Context Cases (SCCs).
 

More information:

• EDA factsheet - Additive Manufacturing (3D-Printing) Feasibility Study & Technology Demonstration
• 3D-printing community explores applications for defence
• EDA’s 3D-Printing project for Energetic Materials launched
  
  

Jorge Domecq, EDA Chief Executive and Dominique Ristori, European Commission Director-General for Energy announced today in the presence of Mr Gabriel-Beniamin Leș, Minister of National Defence of Romania the initiation of the Third Phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS III).

The announcement was made in the margins of the 4th CF SEDSS II Conference which is held under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and hosted by the Romanian Ministry of National Defence. 

The EDA Chief Executive emphasised that “the Agency’s interest in energy has been increasing in the last years, primarily because the Ministries of Defence have identified the importance of this topic, and because of how energy affects and will change our life in the future”. As he pointed out, “disruptive technologies and new business models are reshaping the energy ecosystem and the defence sector needs to be part of this”. New trends such as digitalisation, electrification, innovative energy technologies in battery storage, smart buildings, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, integrated energy management systems as well as unknown malicious and hybrid threats require the defence sector not only to adapt to the fast-paced changing security environment but also to be able to recover when compromised.

Mr Ristori remarked that “all strands of the EU’s energy policy -energy efficiency, renewables, security of supply, interconnections- have an impact on our common European defence. That is why I believe the start of Phase III is an important step forward which reaffirms the Commission’s strong commitment to address our common energy challenges in close cooperation with the European Defence Agency”. He also said that “by improving the way the defence and security sector uses energy, new real economic opportunities can arise, creating jobs and growth for all Europeans”.

Phase III will continue pursuing the implementation of the EU legal framework on energy and will reaffirm the Consultation Forum as the appropriate vehicle to share best practice, information and experiences among the EU Ministries of Defence. With the support of the European Commission the Forum will bring closer the defence and energy communities with a view to improving energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources, and the protection of defence energy-related critical infrastructures.

Building on the know-how of the previous Phases and with the aim of adapting to future energy dynamics, Phase III will foresee the creation of a new ad-hoc transversal working group, which will cover the thematic activities on energy management and finance as well as a novel category on state-of-the-art technologies affecting the energy-defence dimension.

Phase III is expected to enable economic, operational and strategic results within the context of project ideas, guidelines, and action plans that can assist Ministries of Defence to apply more affordable, resilient, and sustainable energy models at the national level. To address such objectives, the Agency will implement several multi-dimensional activities ranging from high-level conferences and thematic workshops to table-top exercises.

Phase III will also be underpinned by the organisation of Energy Technology Solutions events engaging the civil sector, the industry and academia to ensure that the Forum keeps pace with the leading-edge developments in energy.

With the support of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy and the collaboration of the members of the Forum, the Agency will focus its work on how to better support Ministries of Defence to enhance strategic autonomy and resilience through a diversity of options within the nexus of the European Energy eco-system including the European defence dimension.
 

More information:

• About CF SEDSS II 
• Defence Energy Data 2016 & 2017 (EDA factsheet)
  
  

Over 130 experts from 27 European countries and more than 20 different institutions and organisations participate in the 4th Conference of the Second Phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS II) in Bucharest. The Conference, which is held under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and hosted by the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, marks the successful completion of the Second Phase of the CF SEDSS II initiated in October 2017.

Today’s conference was officially opened by Mr Gabriel-Beniamin Leș, Minister of National Defence of Romania, Mr Dominique Ristori, European Commission Director-General for Energy and Mr Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA).

Mr Jorge Domecq, EDA Chief Executive, emphasised in his speech that the “Bucharest conference marks the successful completion of a project which proved that sustainable energy matters for defence and that greener defence energy matters for the European Union”. The Chief Executive expressed his satisfaction “as the Consultation Forum has enabled directly or indirectly several Ministries of Defence to develop national defence energy strategies, implement Energy Management Systems, launch projects related to energy performance and consider initiating joint collaborative projects to address common energy challenges”. 

European Commission’s Directorate General for Energy (DG ENER) and the Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME) contributed to the work of the Forum by providing an EU long-term perspective on EU energy legislation, policy and action plans. With the support of the European Commission, the defence sector has come closer to the wider energy community and joined the Union’s efforts to transit to an Energy Union. Mr Dominique Ristori, European Commission Director-General for Energy acknowledged in his introductory speech, “the substantial work of the Ministries of Defence to apply sustainable energy in the defence sector and to pursue the implementation of the EU legal framework on energy”. 

The second Phase of the Forum developed a more practical defence-centric approach and focused on a range of activities such as improving energy management and energy efficiency of military building stock and fixed infrastructure, the integration of energy sources in defence infrastructure and the protection of defence-related critical energy infrastructure against hybrid threats.

During Phase II the working groups collected more than 30 project ideas, of which 18 were elaborated to comprehensive project proposals. To support their realisation, the Agency applied an internal methodology called “IdentiFunding for Energy”, which matched these ideas with more than 30 eligible funding opportunities, enhancing the probability of their implementation. As a first step, the Agency is currently supporting Ministries of Defence to prepare three (3) applications for funding.

Mr Domecq announced that “EDA is ready to allocate additional budget to support at least five (5) other applications demonstrating the commitment of the Agency to meet the expectation of the Ministries of Defence in producing tangible results”.
 

Next Conference

The Bucharest Conference marked the finalisation of the Second Phase of the Consultation Forum. Currently, EDA and DG ENER are preparing Phase III. It is expected that the first Conference of Phase III will take place during the first quarter of 2020. In the meantime, EDA and DG ENER are also organising a Joint Defence Energy Conference to be held at the end of 2019 in Brussels in preparation of phase III. More information will be uploaded on the EDA’s dedicated website “European Defence Energy Network (EDEN)”
 

About the CF SEDSS II

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) is a European Commission initiative managed by EDA. It aims at bringing together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practices on improving energy management, energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy as well increasing the protection and resilience of defence energy-related critical infrastructures. On 20 October 2017, the second phase of the Consultation Forum (CF SEDSS II) was launched. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, and the agreement is between the EASME executive agency and the EDA. The contract was signed on 16 October 2017 for 22 months, expiring in August 2019. 

Based on the foundations laid during the first phase of the Consultation Forum (2015-2017), the second phase has been further expanded to cover the following interrelated subjects through three main working groups (including sub-working groups): WG 1: Energy Management including Energy Efficiency (Sub-WG1: Energy Management and Sub-WG2: Energy Efficiency; WG 2: Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies; WG 3: Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure and one cross-cutting theme: Finance.
 

More information:

• Full speech of EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq

• Defence Energy Data 2016 & 2017 (EDA factsheet)

• About CF SEDSS II

• Moving towards defence sustainable energy models
• European Funding Gateway for Energy in Defence
• Legislation and Policy

A grant agreement worth of €1.88 million was signed on 25 May 2019 for the Strategic Technology Foresight action called SOLOMON to be carried out under the EU Preparatory Action in the field of defence research. The grant agreement was signed between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the winning consortium led by Engineering Ingegneria Informatica S.p.A. (The other members of the consortium can be found in the SOLOMON project page)

The Strategic Technology Foresight action called SOLOMON (Strategy-Oriented anaLysis Of the Market fOrces in EU defeNce) was selected following an EU-wide call for proposals organised by EDA closing on 28 June 2018. The action aims to provide an effective way for tackling the issue of critical defence technological dependencies for the EU regarding current and future systems and capabilities. The winning consortium encompasses a total of 18 participants from 10 countries. The project will be complementary to the PYTHIA project, which was selected following the Preparatory Action Call on Strategic Technology Foresight 2017.

The SOLOMON project is part of the Preparatory Action, aimed at testing the mechanisms that can prepare, organise and deliver a variety of EU-funded cooperative defence research and technology development (R&T) activities to improve the competitiveness and innovation in the European defence industry and to stimulate cooperation amongst R&T actors in the EU Member States.

The signature of this grant agreement continues the path towards EU defence integration and paves the way for developing a future European Defence Fund, especially its research dimension, as part of the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027). The next step in 2019 will be the signatures of the grant agreements related to the calls on electronic design technologies for defence application and effects.

The PADR implementation is run by the European Defence Agency (EDA) following the mandate of a Delegation Agreement between the Commission and EDA signed on 31st May 2017. By this agreement the Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects to be launched within the PADR.

The PADR implementation is run by the European Defence Agency (EDA) following the mandate of a Delegation Agreement between the Commission and EDA signed on 31st May 2017. By this agreement the Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects to be launched within the PADR.
 

More information:

• Financial decision
• 2018 calls for proposals published for PA on Defence Research (EDA webnews, 15 March 2018)
• Factsheet ‘Preparatory Action for CSDP-related research’
• Preparatory Action for Defence Research (EDA project page)
• PADR SOLOMON project page