EDA News

In the European Defence Agency's 20th anniversary year, 2024 was another successful cycle as part of wider efforts to develop EU armed forces and support capability development.

Highlights of EDA's annual report include: 

• More than 40 Capability projects, 128 Research & Technology (R&T) projects, and 28 EU-funded projects under the European Defence Fund (EDF). 
• More personnel and a growing budget.
• A strengthened mandate from EU Ministers of Defence through the 2024 Long-Term Review, expanding EDA’s role in capability development, joint procurement, and innovation. 
• Agreement by Member States to cooperate on integrated air and missile defence, electronic warfare, loitering munitions, and a European combat vessel. 
• Joint procurement of 155mm artillery ammunition on behalf of Member States and Ukraine.
• An expanding innovation portfolio through HEDI.
• Deepened cooperation with Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States. 

Over the past two decades, EDA has helped armed forces work more closely and invest more effectively together. The Agency continues to look ahead and prepare for future defence needs.  

Download the full 2024 report here 
 

Under the auspices of the Polish EU Presidency, EU Ministers of Defence and key decision-makers gathered in Warsaw on Thursday 3 April for an informal council meeting. The meeting included senior NATO and EU officials, such as the NATO Deputy Secretary-General, the EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, the Chairwoman of the European Parliament SEDE Committee, and the EDA Deputy Chief Executive. 

Chaired by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, participants exchanged views on strengthening Europe’s defence industry and rearming the continent. They also discussed the EU’s role in supporting Ukraine and efforts to bring a just peace to end the war.

Ahead of the informal council meeting, the Polish EU Presidency hosted a conference on the White Paper on the future of European defence.  Following a presentation by European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, EDA’s Deputy Chief Executive André Denk took part in a panel discussion on the development of defence capabilities in the EU. 

“EDA helps Member States’ cooperate on defence innovation and capability development. We offer the right framework to make the best use of the intergovernmental approach and know-how at EU level. EDA has proposed robust solutions and stands ready to do more, at the speed and scale that our Member States require,” said André Denk. 

Participants also acknowledged EDA’s growing role in coordinating defence efforts among Member States. In recent years, the Agency has acted as a facilitator and, at times, an intermediary in joint procurement initiatives. Aggregating demand for common procurement is now a core EDA task and the result of the Agency’s Long Term Review adopted by the Ministers of Defence last year.    

Left to right: Head of the European Defence Agency (EDA) and High Representative Kaja Kallas, Deputy Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency André Denk, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. 

Founded in 2004, the Agency helps foster defence cooperation across Europe. It serves as the central hub for EU countries aiming to develop their defence capabilities together. EDA’s activities span from harmonising requirements and developing operational capabilities to research, technology, innovation, training, and supporting Common Security and Defence Policy operations. The agency also works closely with the European defence industry to strengthen Europe’s technological and industrial base.

Today, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission have presented a White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030. The Commission has also presented, as part of the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, a detailed defence package providing financial levers to EU Member States to drive an investment surge in defence capabilities.

While the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 strengthens pan-European defence capabilities with new financial means, the White Paper frames a new approach to defence and identifies investment needs. These measures aim to respond to the short-term urgency of supporting Ukraine, but also to address the pressing long-term need to boost Europe's security and defence at EU level.

“What we invest in defence is how we value our defence. And for the past few decades, we haven’t put a high enough price on it. We must spend more. At the same time, the value we add by working together is priceless” said Kaja Kallas, High Representative and Head of the European Defence Agency (EDA).

With 20 years of experience as the EU agency facilitating cooperation on defence, EDA stands ready to support Member States in delivering on current and future joint EU initiatives aimed at strengthening EU defence capabilities and bolstering the European Defence Industrial and Technological Base (EDTIB).

Read more: Commission unveils the White Paper for European Defence and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030

A nearly two-year research effort developed by the European Defence Agency has made progress in developing smart camouflage technologies aimed at enhancing the stealth and survivability of military vehicles and equipment.

With modern surveillance technologies such as visible, radar and thermal detection becoming more advanced, there is a growing need for adaptive camouflage.

That is why the goal of the advanced solutions for camouflage of land Systems using smart and adaptive materials (ASCALS) project seeks to find new materials, and ways to apply them, for active and adaptive camouflage in the visible, infrared and radar ranges.

The first phase of the project was executed by a consortium of 10 industrial and research entities, led by Adamant Composites (Greece) and comprising 10 industrial and research entities: the University of Luxembourg; TNO, MIS7 and Bolidt (the Netherlands); the Military Institute of Engineer Technology (WITI) and LUBAWA S.A. (Poland); CITEVE, INEGI, CINAMIL (Portugal) and the Swedish Defence Research Agency. 

ASCALS’s first phase aimed to develop materials that can dynamically adjust to different environmental conditions. With a budget of 1.3 million euros, the project focused on creating materials that can change their optical, thermal, and radar signatures to help ground-based military systems remain hidden.

The project explored innovative materials designed to adapt to various detection methods:

- Electrochromic materials: These can change their colour and reflectance on demand, helping systems blend into different environments.

- Liquid crystals: These materials can alter light transmission and reflection, particularly in infrared light, making it harder to detect objects.

- Phase-change materials: These advanced materials control heat emission, allowing systems to better manage their thermal signature and blend into varying temperatures.

- Graphene and electrolyte structures: By using the exceptional properties of graphene over infrared and radar signal reduction, the combination with an electrolyte allows the potential for controllability.

- Controllable meta-surfaces: Through an array of patches controlled by a custom app, the reflected radar signal is dynamically adjusted to the operational needs.

These adaptive materials can quickly adjust to changes in the environment, making them highly effective in real-time camouflage.

ASCALS I has set the stage for the next phase of development. ASCALS II will focus on advancing these technologies further, with the goal of field-testing them on military platforms by 2027, subject to the interest and support of Member States. The results of ASCALS I show promise for military ground systems, and the technologies could even be adapted for use on air and maritime platforms in the future. 

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

Further information

• CapTech Ground Systems webpage
• CapTech Materials and Structures webpage

Today, at the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency (EDA), the 27 EU Ministers of Defence approved the Agency’s 2024 Long-Term Review (LTR). As strategic guidance given to EDA, the 2024 LTR outlines five core tasks for the Agency with a stronger focus on supporting Member States through the full development cycle of military capabilities. Ministers agreed to increase the number of EDA’s core tasks from three to five, with dedicated taskings on aggregating demand towards joint procurement and enabling collaborative defence research, technology, and innovation. Ministers were also briefed on preliminary opportunities stemming from the 2024 Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) and marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Agency.

Ministers of Defence endorsed an update of the Agency’s mandate to fully reflect the deteriorated security environment in Europe and the evolving role of the Agency within the EU defence landscape, marking 20 years since its establishment. Reflecting the dramatic geopolitical changes since 2017, when the last iteration of the LTR was approved, the 2024 LTR outlines how the Agency can support Ministries of Defence (MoDs) along all the capability development cycle, including limited off-the-shelf acquisitions, when Member States so decide.

The LTR also bolsters EDA role to voice MoDs’ joint positions at EU level and ensure the coherent alignment of current and future EU defence initiatives, policies, and legislation. The LTR also calls for the Agency to reinforce mutually beneficial cooperation with NATO through the conclusion of an Administrative Arrangement and fully leverage synergies with EU stakeholders to reflect defence needs.

Head of European Defence Agency and HR/VP, Josep Borrell said: “The European Defence Agency must have a more strategic role if we want to live up to the level of ambition that we have set for EU Defence in the Strategic Compass. The EU needs to develop defence capabilities to address the full range of threats we are facing. With a stronger and clearer vision, focused on capability development and the launch of concrete projects, the Agency can play a key role in building stronger and better equipped armed forces.”

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “This renewed and strengthened mandate ensures that Ministries of Defence have an Agency that is fit for the future. Ministers of Defence have endorsed a review that enhances the Agency’s ambitions, visibility, and support for Member States. With expanded tasks and a stronger intergovernmental voice, Ministers signal the Agency's crucial role in bolstering EU defence capabilities.”

Ministers were also presented with a preliminary assessment on the possible actionable collaborative opportunities stemming from the third CARD cycle. This Steering Board was used as an opportunity to allow Ministers to provide early guidance to help sharpen and finalise the opportunities to be highlighted in the final CARD Report which will be presented in November. 

Before the Steering Board was formally opened, Head of Agency, Josep Borrell, and EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý and Deputy Chief Executive, André Denk, marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Agency. Created in 2004, EDA has played a pivotal role in greater European defence cooperation, and made tangible contributions to EU defence planning, capabilities, training and innovations.

1. 2024 EDA Long Term Review Document
2. Fact Sheet – EDA Long Term Review
3. Timeline – EDA 20 Years Promoting European Defence Cooperation