EDA News

Having to let go of something close, doesn’t need to have a sense of loss. When the European Defence Agency (EDA) sees its home-grown Helicopter Exercise Programme, its Helicopter Tactics Course and its Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course move to the new permanent Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) in Portugal by the end of 2022, after many successful years at EDA, it does so with a feeling of ‘mission accomplished’.  

This article as well as the following interview with João Gomes Cravinho, the Defence Minister of Portugal, have first been published in EDA's 'European Defence Matters' magazine N° 19 published in June 2020. 

It is a basic principle underlying all training activities run by EDA: as soon as a programme reaches a sustainable level of support, maturity and output, the aim becomes to transfer it to a permanent facility hosted and managed by one of Member States involved. For the Agency’s ambition is not to become a permanent training institute but to serve as a catalyst and facilitator for collaborative training activities which later on will be taken care of by a Member State or an organisation – allowing the Agency to free resources and engage in other training projects.   The move in June 2017 of EDA’s European Air Transport Fleet training programme to the new permanent European Tactical Airlift Centre (ETAC) in Zaragoza/Spain, after six years of busy activities at EDA – 87 aircrews trained, 50 tactical instructor pilots graduate, 94 European transport aircraft involved – stands out as a shining example of this policy.   It will be followed soon by the Agency’s three multinational rotary-wing training programmes: the Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), the Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC) and the Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC). Launched in 2009 and supported by 15 countries (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Norway as well as the United Kingdom – up till Brexit), this trio has since become one of EDA’s most dynamic and successful training activities, highly appreciated in Europe’s rotary wing community.   By the end of 2022, their new home will be Sintra/Portugal: that’s what the Agency’s Steering Board decided in August 2019 when it green-lit the setting-up of a new Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC). 

 

A new permanent home 

The objective is to make this MHTC a permanent European centre of excellence for advanced helicopter training. It will deliver administrative and training functions to serve both as a central hub for the coordination of helicopter training across Europe, but also as the provider of the next iteration of the HEP, HTC and HTIC programmes currently run by the Agency.   

The centre is expected to reach initial operational capability (IOC) by the end of 2022, although the Covid-19 crisis impact may alter this date, and it is estimated it will operate for a period of 15 years, which can be extended to 30 years following the agreement of its contributing Member States. 

The next major milestone in the preparation is the harmonisation of the MHTC Technical Agreement, expected by the beginning of 2021, and the build-up of the infrastructures in Sintra which should be finished before the IOC MHTC. 
 

Gradual hand-over starting this summer 

The move to Sintra will be gradual, starting soon – this summer with the transfer of EDA’s helicopter training centre from its traditional location, RAF airbase Linton-on-Ouse in the United Kingdom (in the process of being dismantled), to Sintra Air Force airbase which will already be operational, on a provisional basis, between mid-2020 and the end of 2022 when it will fully take over its new MHTC role. The full set of training equipment will be moved from Linton-on-Ouse to Sintra, except the helicopter simulator which is being replaced with a new one.  

  

"An opportunity to strengthen European cooperation" 

Portugal is actively preparing to host the MHTC which it considers a priority and “strategic investment”, says the country’s Minister of Defence, João Gomes Cravinho, in an exclusive interview with European Defence Matters. 
 

How are preparations going for the transition of the current EDA helicopter programmes to Sintra in 2020 and for the creation of the MHTC in 2022? 

Currently, and until 2023, EDA helicopter programmes will take place in Sintra as part of a transition process for MHTC while ensuring the continuity of all EDA helicopter training. Portugal has received the helicopter simulator formerly based in the UK and will provide support for academic and simulator courses in existing infrastructures, specially adapted for that purpose, while the MHTC project is under development. Since November, multiple site surveys have been made in Sintra to check the current infrastructures. The flight simulator hardware is already in Portugal, waiting for INZPIRE representatives to be able to travel to Portugal and start the required assembly as soon as possible. Of course, we and all the other countries involved in the Agency’s helicopter training have also been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which has required partial and full lockdowns, including in Portugal. This resulted in the cancellation of two courses, planned for May and June 2020. Nevertheless, Portugal has been actively engaged with EDA and Member States to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in the helicopter programmes. In close coordination with Member States a contingency plan has been agreed that should allow these courses to take place in the future.  
 

What makes Sintra the perfect site for it? 

Sintra is being turned into the rotary wing hub of the Portuguese Air Force that is expected to be fully operational by 2023. We hope this will provide relevant synergies, and this is in itself proof that we believe Sintra is indeed a great location for this type of infrastructure. There are large modular spaces adapted to the needs of a structure like this. The accommodation, the courses and the simulator area will, of course, be in accordance with EDA’s requirements and will all be within easy walking distance of catering and leisure spaces. Additionally, because there is more to life than work, the air base is very close to the historic town of Sintra, to Lisbon and to the beaches of Cascais, meaning there is no lack of opportunities for leisure or physical exercise in the vicinity. 
 

How big an effort (infrastructure, staff, budget, etc.) is this for Portugal to become the host nation of this important training activity? 

The Portuguese government is committed to a responsible management of the State budget, but we are also committed to strategic investments. We see the MHTC project as an opportunity to strengthen European cooperation in addressing a key operational capability that has often been found lacking and is vital to provide support to ongoing and future CSDP missions. Once Full Operational Capability is achieved, Portugal has committed, through the Portuguese Air Force, to support not only the infrastructure exclusively dedicated to the MHTC academic and simulator courses, but also all student logistical support (lodging, meals). Regarding staff, the MHTC will have ten permanent positions, plus temporary personnel responsible for the academic and simulator courses. In principle, the Portuguese Air Force will be responsible for about 50% of these permanent posts, with full time dedicated personnel. We are currently assessing the best options for hosting our foreign partners involved in permanent posts in the MHTC. In conclusion, this is a significant effort, but we see it as a priority, as a strategic investment. 
 

How will this influence Portugal’s own involvement in EDA’s helicopter programme where it currently participates in the Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) and the Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC). Any plan to join the Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC)? 

The involvement of the Portuguese Air Force in EDA’s helicopter programmes (HEP and HTC) has been very successful in developing and consolidating rotary wing operational capabilities. Portugal is currently not involved in the HTIC, but this is an interesting programme and will be considered in future discussions regarding available investment in this area.  
 

Portugal is a very regular host of the BLADE multinational helicopter exercises, at least during the 2012-2022 period. Will you remain central and host of this exercise even beyond 2022? 

We are working on it. As you know, we are the organiser of the BLADE exercise in 2021. And Portugal in fact holds the record as the host country for BLADE exercises. I believe this is the result of Portugal’s ability to organise these exercises effectively, as well as the fact that it has, in relative terms, a very flexible airspace and ideal meteorological conditions. Portugal has made clear its availability for hosting the BLADE helicopter exercises in 2024, 2027 and 2030. Now it is up to EDA and the other Member States to decide, but Portugal is very committed to continuing to invest in cooperation with its European allies and partners in this vital operational capability. 

 

 

 

However disruptive the economic and financial impact of Covid-19 might be, it will not not obscure the need for Member States to strengthen Europe’s full spectrum of defence capabilities, and to do it through cooperation. On the contrary: this crisis makes collaborative capability development even more indispensable and urgent, argues Jiří Šedivý, the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) new Chief Executive, in the following opinion editorial.

This pandemic is far from over and the full scale of its repercussions still unpredictable. Yet, there are lessons to be learned already now as Europe must adjust to a new post-Covid reality. Defence is no exception. The budgetary shockwave caused by the pandemic may heavily weigh on some Member States’ ability to sustain existing national defence programmes, let alone launch new ones. Which in turn threatens to further curtail Europe’s security and defence clout. 

There could be a plus side to the crisis as well, though: some of its effects might help speed up the process towards genuine EU defence cooperation. Looked at from this angle, this emergency offers a unique and unexpected opportunity for making collaborative capability development the new norm in Europe. Rather than weakening national defence forces one by one, the new reality imposed by Covid-19 could advance advance the Europe of Defence as a whole.
 

Making a virtue of (budgetary) necessity

The follow-up costs of the pandemic are likely to squeeze national public spending across the board and for years to come, including spending on defence. What’s more, the fiscal downturn hits at a time when Europe needs to invest more and better in its security and defence. The many good reasons that led the EU and its Member States to raise the Union’s level of ambition on security and defence in 2016 and to work towards European strategic autonomy as a long-term goal, are still valid. To drop or even lower this ambition is not an option, even under today’s exceptional circumstances, as this would seriously undermine Europe’s security role in the world.
 

How to square this circle?

Defence cooperation is the answer. Europe needs more joint defence planning and capability development. The call for Pooling & Sharing of resources and capabilities is not new, but it has become more pressing today. When defence budgets come under pressure, the smartest way for Member States to safeguard or even increase their military resilience is to plan, develop, procure, maintain and operate their defence equipment together. Multinational capability development – be it under PESCO, EDA or any other format involving several EU countries – is more cost-efficient and impactful than national solo efforts done in isolation. Money saved through EU cooperation can compensate for expected cuts in defence spending, at least in the long run. Beyond the financial benefits, cooperation also pays off thanks to increased operational effectiveness and interoperability, for the benefit of EU, NATO or other multinational operations. Joining forces will allow those Member States under budgetary strain to do more, for their own defence and that of Europe.
 

Tools ready and fit for purpose

The other good news is that we don’t have to start from scratch. All instruments and processes needed to enable and manage EU defence cooperation are already in place and ready to be used: updated European Capability Development Priorities, the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and the European Defence Fund (EDF). If Member States don’t use the toolbox’ full potential now, then when will they?

The same applies to EDA, the EU hub for collaborative research and capability development which currently hosts more than 110 research and capability programmes as well as some 200 other activities. Here too, Member States still have some leeway available if they want to use EDA’s expertise and potential to the full extent.
 

Stronger emphasis on CBRN 

The Covid-19 pandemic has also brought to light, indirectly of course, the enormous disruptive potential of biological substances. Although Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats have been on our radar for some time – the European Capability Development Priorities reviewed in 2018 under EDA guidance explicitly refer to the need to strengthen European capabilities in the CBRN domain – this crisis has nevertheless highlighted the urgent need to do more in order to be better prepared and equipped to deal with these kind of threats in the future. This is another important lesson to be learned from this dramatic experience. Given the magnitude of the challenge, it can only be mastered together, i.e. through cooperation. Another example of why EU defence cooperation matters now more than ever. The same is true for other military assets which proved extremely helpful for our Member States during the most acute phase of the pandemic, such as medical and logistics support or cybersecurity. They, too, must stay high on our priority list for future cooperation.
 

A fresh look at strategic autonomy

Finally, and this is a third lesson, Covid-19 has shown the importance of maintaining strategic local production capacities able to provide critical material of high quality and in sufficient quantities when crises hit – in this case relatively basic commodities such as masks or other protection utilities. This has served as a reminder to all of us, including the defence sector, that European strategic autonomy cannot only refer to high-tech, high-end capabilities but also to basic but indispensable industrial expertise and production capacities. Maintaining critical industrial production capacities in Europe is thus a crucial prerequisite for building a Europe of defence and moving towards strategic autonomy. Here too, cooperation is the way forward as Europe’s key strategic activities can only be sustained together.
 

Special Report in European Defence Matters.

Our latest edition of European Defence Matters has a special report on the impact of COVID-19 on defence with contributions from Croatian State Secretary for Defence, Tomislav Ivić, Timo Pesonen, Director General of the European Commission’s DG Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS),  Daniel Fiott, Security and Defence Editor at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and Jan Pie, Secretary General of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). EDM19 is available now.
 

More information

• Interview with the Parliament Magazine
• Interview with Defense News
• Interview with Shepard Media
• Interview with DEFAERO Report Daily Podcast

 

Jiří Šedivý, EDA’s Chief Executive, was in Paris today for talks with the French authorities. It was not only his first official visit since he took office in March but also the first of a ‘tour des capitales’ which will see him paying visits to all Member States in the coming months.

 Mr Šedivý was received at the French Ministry of Defence where he had meetings with Alice Guitton (Director General for International Relations and Strategy), General François Lecointre (Chief of Defence Staff), Lieutenant General Eric Bellot des Minières (Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Defence Planning), General Eric Charpentier (Capability Director at the Defence Staff) as well as Thierry Carlier (National Armaments Director and Director for International Relations at the Direction générale de l'armement, DGA). Mr Šedivý also had meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Philippe Setton (EU Director) and David Bertolotti (Director for Strategic Affairs, Security and Disarmament).

“We are at a key moment in the implementation of EU defence initiatives: the PESCO strategic review is underway, the first CARD report will be published in November and important aspects related to the European Defence Fund will have to be decided upon later this year. The challenge is further exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and its potential repercussions on defence planning and spending in our Member States. These difficult circumstances call for more European defence cooperation, more joint planning and more pooling and sharing of resources and capabilities. During my ‘tour des capitales’ in the coming months, I will listen to all our Member States’ specific ideas and suggestions and exchange views on how we can further improve collaborative capability development in Europe and strengthen the Agency’s role in it. My first stop today in Paris was a very good and promising start”, said Mr Šedivý.

Director General Alice Guitton stated "The year 2020 will be a milestone in strengthening European defence. The COVID-19 crisis has shown the need for deeper European cooperation, decreasing our dependencies, and more efficiency in defence spending, and many critical projects must now be completed. EDA’s work will be critical to help the EU Member States identify, prioritize and develop the key capabilities needed to face future crises and to strengthen European strategic autonomy, in a deteriorating security context, including by ensuring the success of the most recent initiatives, such as the EDF programme and PESCO.”

Jiří Šedivý, EDA’s Chief Executive, was in Paris today for talks with the French authorities. It was not only his first official visit since he took office in March but also the first of a ‘tour des capitales’ which will see him paying visits to all Member States in the coming months.

 Mr Šedivý was received at the French Ministry of Defence where he had meetings with Alice Guitton (Director General for International Relations and Strategy), General François Lecointre (Chief of Defence Staff), Lieutenant General Eric Bellot des Minières (Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Defence Planning), General Eric Charpentier (Capability Director at the Defence Staff) as well as Thierry Carlier (National Armaments Director and Director for International Relations at the Direction générale de l'armement, DGA). Mr Šedivý also had meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Philippe Setton (EU Director) and David Bertolotti (Director for Strategic Affairs, Security and Disarmament).

“We are at a key moment in the implementation of EU defence initiatives: the PESCO strategic review is underway, the first CARD report will be published in November and important aspects related to the European Defence Fund will have to be decided upon later this year. The challenge is further exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and its potential repercussions on defence planning and spending in our Member States. These difficult circumstances call for more European defence cooperation, more joint planning and more pooling and sharing of resources and capabilities. During my ‘tour des capitales’ in the coming months, I will listen to all our Member States’ specific ideas and suggestions and exchange views on how we can further improve collaborative capability development in Europe and strengthen the Agency’s role in it. My first stop today in Paris was a very good and promising start”, said Mr Šedivý.

Director General Alice Guitton stated "The year 2020 will be a milestone in strengthening European defence. The COVID-19 crisis has shown the need for deeper European cooperation, decreasing our dependencies, and more efficiency in defence spending, and many critical projects must now be completed. EDA’s work will be critical to help the EU Member States identify, prioritize and develop the key capabilities needed to face future crises and to strengthen European strategic autonomy, in a deteriorating security context, including by ensuring the success of the most recent initiatives, such as the EDF programme and PESCO.”

Preparations for the Multinational Multirole Tanker and Transport Fleet (MMF), aimed to increase Air-to-Air Refuelling capabilities in Europe, reached a significant milestone today when the first Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft was delivered to the fleet’s main operating base in Eindhoven. 

In total, the fleet could count up to 11 Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft of which eight have already been procured. While the first of them (MMF1) has now been delivered, the consecutive aircraft (2 to 8) will be delivered in the coming years: a brand new MRTT will be delivered roughly every six months to either Eindhoven (The Netherlands) as the ‘Main Operating Base’ or to Cologne (Germany) as the ‘Forward Operating Base Plus’.
 

Six participating countries so far 

The MMF, managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) with strong support of the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) under the ownership of NATO and operated by an international unit, will provide its six participating Member States (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands) with strategic tanker and transport capabilities. 

Based on a pooling and sharing concept, the participating countries will have access to a total of 8 (and in the future perhaps to 11) Airbus A-330 MRTT aircraft which can provide strategic transport (pax and cargo), air-to-air refuelling and medical evacuation capabilities. 
 

Example of excellent EU/NATO cooperation 

The multinational fleet builds on the excellent cooperation between NATO and EU Member States and Agencies since the very beginning of the project. Back in 2011, the European Defence Agency started an initiative to address the long-standing European shortfall in the air-to-air refuelling capacity. Since then, this initiative has grown into a mature programme handed over to and managed by the NSPA on behalf of the participating countries and supported by OCCAR for the acquisition phase. 

The MMF programme stands as an example on how European countries can cooperate, pooling and sharing resources to get access to state of the art capabilities that would be difficult or impossible to access individually. All the countries involved, independently of their size and the number of flying hours, have access to the MMF capabilities. 

EDA’s Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “The Multinational Multirole Tanker and Transport Fleet is a prime example of European defence cooperation done in close coordination with NATO, which shows that once a capability shortfall has been jointly identified, European nations can pull together, work on a common project aimed at filling the gap, and eventually deliver – as they do with today’s delivery of the first aircraft. It’s Pooling & Sharing at its best. The European Defence Agency stands ready to assist additional Member States which are in need of AAR capabilities to explore their potential participation in this important project”. 

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Camille Grand, said: “The MRTT fleet’s versatility in providing several critical capabilities simultaneously is nothing short of impressive. The aircraft can help respond to crises such as the COVID-19 emergency, by moving medical supplies and conducting medical evacuations. However, the fleet will probably have the most profound impact within the air-to-air refuelling mission, an area where historically many European Allies have lacked capacity. Therefore, the MRTT fleet will help contribute to a fairer transatlantic burden-sharing at NATO. It is also a successful pilot multilateral cooperation project, bringing together a number of Allies and multiple NATO and EU institutions and agencies in support of the delivery of a major capability”. 
 

Background 

The Netherlands and Luxembourg initially launched the programme in July 2016, with the first one as the lead nation of the project. Germany and Norway joined in 2017, Belgium followed in early 2018 and Czech Republic lastly joined the MMF programme in October 2019. 

The MMF aircraft will be operated by the Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) comprising of military personnel of the participating countries. The unit is based in two permanent operating bases, the Main Operating Base in Eindhoven and the Forward Operating Base in Cologne-Wahn. Among the eight MMF aircraft, five will be based in Eindhoven, and three in Cologne. 
 

More information: 

• Related NATO web story (30 June 2020)

Preparations for the Multinational Multirole Tanker and Transport Fleet (MMF), aimed to increase Air-to-Air Refuelling capabilities in Europe, reached a significant milestone today when the first Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft was delivered to the fleet’s main operating base in Eindhoven. 

In total, the fleet could count up to 11 Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft of which eight have already been procured. While the first of them (MMF1) has now been delivered, the consecutive aircraft (2 to 8) will be delivered in the coming years: a brand new MRTT will be delivered roughly every six months to either Eindhoven (The Netherlands) as the ‘Main Operating Base’ or to Cologne (Germany) as the ‘Forward Operating Base Plus’.
 

Six participating countries so far 

The MMF, managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) with strong support of the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) under the ownership of NATO and operated by an international unit, will provide its six participating Member States (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands) with strategic tanker and transport capabilities. 

Based on a pooling and sharing concept, the participating countries will have access to a total of 8 (and in the future perhaps to 11) Airbus A-330 MRTT aircraft which can provide strategic transport (pax and cargo), air-to-air refuelling and medical evacuation capabilities. 
 

Example of excellent EU/NATO cooperation 

The multinational fleet builds on the excellent cooperation between NATO and EU Member States and Agencies since the very beginning of the project. Back in 2011, the European Defence Agency started an initiative to address the long-standing European shortfall in the air-to-air refuelling capacity. Since then, this initiative has grown into a mature programme handed over to and managed by the NSPA on behalf of the participating countries and supported by OCCAR for the acquisition phase. 

The MMF programme stands as an example on how European countries can cooperate, pooling and sharing resources to get access to state of the art capabilities that would be difficult or impossible to access individually. All the countries involved, independently of their size and the number of flying hours, have access to the MMF capabilities. 

EDA’s Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “The Multinational Multirole Tanker and Transport Fleet is a prime example of European defence cooperation done in close coordination with NATO, which shows that once a capability shortfall has been jointly identified, European nations can pull together, work on a common project aimed at filling the gap, and eventually deliver – as they do with today’s delivery of the first aircraft. It’s Pooling & Sharing at its best. The European Defence Agency stands ready to assist additional Member States which are in need of AAR capabilities to explore their potential participation in this important project”. 

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Camille Grand, said: “The MRTT fleet’s versatility in providing several critical capabilities simultaneously is nothing short of impressive. The aircraft can help respond to crises such as the COVID-19 emergency, by moving medical supplies and conducting medical evacuations. However, the fleet will probably have the most profound impact within the air-to-air refuelling mission, an area where historically many European Allies have lacked capacity. Therefore, the MRTT fleet will help contribute to a fairer transatlantic burden-sharing at NATO. It is also a successful pilot multilateral cooperation project, bringing together a number of Allies and multiple NATO and EU institutions and agencies in support of the delivery of a major capability”. 
 

Background 

The Netherlands and Luxembourg initially launched the programme in July 2016, with the first one as the lead nation of the project. Germany and Norway joined in 2017, Belgium followed in early 2018 and Czech Republic lastly joined the MMF programme in October 2019. 

The MMF aircraft will be operated by the Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) comprising of military personnel of the participating countries. The unit is based in two permanent operating bases, the Main Operating Base in Eindhoven and the Forward Operating Base in Cologne-Wahn. Among the eight MMF aircraft, five will be based in Eindhoven, and three in Cologne. 
 

More information: 

• Related NATO web story (30 June 2020)

EDA’s latest European Defence Matters magazine (N°19) is now available with a double focus at least partially imposed by current developments: the Covid-19 pandemic and its potential repercussions on European defence; and EDA’s successful collaborative training & exercise activities.

The first part of the magazine is devoted to an analysis of the impact the Covid-19 crisis might have on the wider European defence sector, including national and EU defence spending and the implementation of the EU defence cooperation tools. It features exclusive opinion editorials of and interviews with the Agency’s new Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý, the European Commission Director General of DG Defence Industry & Space (DEFIS), Timo Pesonen, the Secretary General of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), Jan Pie, and the Security and Defence Editor at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Daniel Fiott. The magazine’s cover story then provides readers with a detailed insight into the various collaborative training & exercise activities the Agency is running since many years with great success with the aim of increasing Member States Armed Forces’ interoperability.

The magazine also drills into the fascinating topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and speaks to Christian Hedelin, the Chief Strategy Officer of SAAB, about how AI has already made its way into defence equipment. Moreover, it puts a spotlight on a new promising project launched in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) related to CBRN detection. Last but not least, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană shares his assessment of the current state of play of EU/NATO cooperation.

Have a look immediately and enjoy your reading!

The magazine is available here.

EDA’s latest European Defence Matters magazine (N°19) is now available with a double focus at least partially imposed by current developments: the Covid-19 pandemic and its potential repercussions on European defence; and EDA’s successful collaborative training & exercise activities.

The first part of the magazine is devoted to an analysis of the impact the Covid-19 crisis might have on the wider European defence sector, including national and EU defence spending and the implementation of the EU defence cooperation tools. It features exclusive opinion editorials of and interviews with the Agency’s new Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý, the European Commission Director General of DG Defence Industry & Space (DEFIS), Timo Pesonen, the Secretary General of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), Jan Pie, and the Security and Defence Editor at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Daniel Fiott. The magazine’s cover story then provides readers with a detailed insight into the various collaborative training & exercise activities the Agency is running since many years with great success with the aim of increasing Member States Armed Forces’ interoperability.

The magazine also drills into the fascinating topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and speaks to Christian Hedelin, the Chief Strategy Officer of SAAB, about how AI has already made its way into defence equipment. Moreover, it puts a spotlight on a new promising project launched in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) related to CBRN detection. Last but not least, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană shares his assessment of the current state of play of EU/NATO cooperation.

Have a look immediately and enjoy your reading!

The magazine is available here.

The European Defence Agency’s (EDA) Steering Board in the composition of Defence Ministers discussed today how to sustain EU capability development in times of disruptive challenges. Defence Ministers pointed to the need for more collaborative projects, efficiency gains and economies of scale as the most effective way of navigating the current crisis while ensuring that Europe’s armed forced are ready for the future. 

In addressing an ever more dynamic security environment, including the impact of COVID-19, Ministers underscored the need for even more multinational cooperation in capability planning and development to overcome an unprecedented and diverse set of challenges. Ministers agreed that the EU defence initiatives advanced since 2016 need to be implemented with more decisiveness than ever before. They stressed the importance of delivering on the binding commitments under PESCO, implementing the EU Capability Development priorities, based on a fully-fledged defence review (CARD), and making full use of the European Defence Fund (EDF) as a powerful incentive at the EU level. Ministers also discussed how to better ensure that Europe has highly resilient and responsive armed forces, which are able to prevent, detect and respond to multiple threats and scenarios.

The meeting, held via videoconference, was chaired for the first time by Head of the Agency, Josep Borrell. It was also the first opportunity for recently appointed EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý, to address the EDA Steering Board comprising the Ministers of Defence of the Agency’s 26 Member States.

Head of the European Defence Agency, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell said: “Whether we are prepared or not to respond to today’s security threats depends on our ability to pull together our resources and act. Today, more than ever, it is crucial to spend better together, rationalise, strengthen our capabilities and deploy effectively to address crises and promote stability. The EU defence initiatives are in place, but to realise their full potential they must be fully integrated into Member States national defence policies and planning processes.”

EDA Chief Executive,Jiří Šedivý, said: “The key priority for European defence will be staying the course and maintaining the EU’s level of ambition on defence, especially now, facing up to unprecedented challenges, including COVID-19. Europe has spent the last few years developing a comprehensive toolbox with the new EU defence initiatives. These tools are now to be put to work to enable deeper cooperation. EDA, as the hub for EU defence cooperation, is there to serve as the preferred platform for Member States defence cooperation”.
 

Full use of EDA's potential

Ministers also looked into how the Agency can speed up the process of project generation and implementation at European level, and how it can best support more Member States in cooperative projects and programmes so that these become operational in a timely manner. EDA will examine how to further improve its service to Member States especially in terms of enabling processes and procedures, capability development, training, joint procurement, as well as R&T and innovation.
 

Next steps: CARD Report

The next EDA ministerial Steering Board will take place in November, when the first CARD (Coordinated Annual Review on Defence) Report will be presented. CARD provides an overview that will allow Member States to better coordinate their defence planning and spending and engage in collaborative projects, improving consistency in Member States defence spending and overall coherence of the European capability landscape. The report will act as a pathfinder to inform future investment decisions on the most promising, most needed and most pressing opportunities for multinational cooperation.

 
  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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The European Defence Agency’s (EDA) Steering Board in the composition of Defence Ministers discussed today how to sustain EU capability development in times of disruptive challenges. Defence Ministers pointed to the need for more collaborative projects, efficiency gains and economies of scale as the most effective way of navigating the current crisis while ensuring that Europe’s armed forced are ready for the future. 

In addressing an ever more dynamic security environment, including the impact of COVID-19, Ministers underscored the need for even more multinational cooperation in capability planning and development to overcome an unprecedented and diverse set of challenges. Ministers agreed that the EU defence initiatives advanced since 2016 need to be implemented with more decisiveness than ever before. They stressed the importance of delivering on the binding commitments under PESCO, implementing the EU Capability Development priorities, based on a fully-fledged defence review (CARD), and making full use of the European Defence Fund (EDF) as a powerful incentive at the EU level. Ministers also discussed how to better ensure that Europe has highly resilient and responsive armed forces, which are able to prevent, detect and respond to multiple threats and scenarios.

The meeting, held via videoconference, was chaired for the first time by Head of the Agency, Josep Borrell. It was also the first opportunity for recently appointed EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý, to address the EDA Steering Board comprising the Ministers of Defence of the Agency’s 26 Member States.

Head of the European Defence Agency, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell said: “Whether we are prepared or not to respond to today’s security threats depends on our ability to pull together our resources and act. Today, more than ever, it is crucial to spend better together, rationalise, strengthen our capabilities and deploy effectively to address crises and promote stability. The EU defence initiatives are in place, but to realise their full potential they must be fully integrated into Member States national defence policies and planning processes.”

EDA Chief Executive,Jiří Šedivý, said: “The key priority for European defence will be staying the course and maintaining the EU’s level of ambition on defence, especially now, facing up to unprecedented challenges, including COVID-19. Europe has spent the last few years developing a comprehensive toolbox with the new EU defence initiatives. These tools are now to be put to work to enable deeper cooperation. EDA, as the hub for EU defence cooperation, is there to serve as the preferred platform for Member States defence cooperation”.
 

Full use of EDA's potential

Ministers also looked into how the Agency can speed up the process of project generation and implementation at European level, and how it can best support more Member States in cooperative projects and programmes so that these become operational in a timely manner. EDA will examine how to further improve its service to Member States especially in terms of enabling processes and procedures, capability development, training, joint procurement, as well as R&T and innovation.
 

Next steps: CARD Report

The next EDA ministerial Steering Board will take place in November, when the first CARD (Coordinated Annual Review on Defence) Report will be presented. CARD provides an overview that will allow Member States to better coordinate their defence planning and spending and engage in collaborative projects, improving consistency in Member States defence spending and overall coherence of the European capability landscape. The report will act as a pathfinder to inform future investment decisions on the most promising, most needed and most pressing opportunities for multinational cooperation.

 
  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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDA’s groundwork to help Member States move towards the integration of MALE-type Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in civil air traffic in non-segregated airspace received a significant boost recently when a live MALE RPAS flight test carried out by the French Air Force (FAF) contributed to paving the way for the validation of the risk analysis previously done in an Agency study carried out in 2018/19 as well as the EDA and EASA guidelines. 

To date, the conclusions of EDA’s study on the ‘Accommodation of MALE-type RPAS: scenarios and safety case’, delivered in February 2019, had only been tested through simulations but never under real flight conditions. On 19 May 2020, the French Air Force flew a REAPER RPAS, based in the military airbase of Cognac, in civil air traffic beyond segregated airspace. During this over three-hour flight, several hand-overs were carried out between civilian air traffic control centers in Bordeaux and Marseille. Portions of the cruise were carried out in upper airspace, up to FL 230. The RPAS had no specific onboard equipment such as a detect and avoid system. 

The result was a genuine success, as General Reutter, the Director of the French Military Authority, confirmed afterwards in a press statement: "With this operational exercise, we can confirm risk analysis under the auspice of the European Defence Agency. We are proud that these results can feed the Guidelines for Accommodations from the EDA and EASA. They will participate in the current working on the part 'Certified' of the ongoing civil drone European regulation and should facilitate the implementation of the European MALE program”. The full press release is available here.  
 

Accomodation Study 

EDA’s study was ordered in 2018 as part of the Agency’s effort to support Member States in the area of MALE-type RPAS air traffic integration. The study conclusions published in February 2019 provided tailored risk assessments and an enhanced aviation safety case assessment methodology for MALE-type RPAS flying in non-segregated European airspace, alongside manned aviation. Following the presentation of those simulations results, France offered the possibility to perform real flights with a MALE-type RPAS (the FAF Reapers), including a cross-border portion. The successful results of the French test flight will now feed the guidelines for accommodation developed by EDA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and will be used for the ongoing work on the ‘Certified’ part of the European civil drone regulation. 

This year, there will be additional cross-borders flights performed by FAF Reapers in the framework of the EDA Accommodation Validation study. 

EDA’s groundwork to help Member States move towards the integration of MALE-type Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in civil air traffic in non-segregated airspace received a significant boost recently when a live MALE RPAS flight test carried out by the French Air Force (FAF) contributed to paving the way for the validation of the risk analysis previously done in an Agency study carried out in 2018/19 as well as the EDA and EASA guidelines. 

To date, the conclusions of EDA’s study on the ‘Accommodation of MALE-type RPAS: scenarios and safety case’, delivered in February 2019, had only been tested through simulations but never under real flight conditions. On 19 May 2020, the French Air Force flew a REAPER RPAS, based in the military airbase of Cognac, in civil air traffic beyond segregated airspace. During this over three-hour flight, several hand-overs were carried out between civilian air traffic control centers in Bordeaux and Marseille. Portions of the cruise were carried out in upper airspace, up to FL 230. The RPAS had no specific onboard equipment such as a detect and avoid system. 

The result was a genuine success, as General Reutter, the Director of the French Military Authority, confirmed afterwards in a press statement: "With this operational exercise, we can confirm risk analysis under the auspice of the European Defence Agency. We are proud that these results can feed the Guidelines for Accommodations from the EDA and EASA. They will participate in the current working on the part 'Certified' of the ongoing civil drone European regulation and should facilitate the implementation of the European MALE program”. The full press release is available here.  
 

Accomodation Study 

EDA’s study was ordered in 2018 as part of the Agency’s effort to support Member States in the area of MALE-type RPAS air traffic integration. The study conclusions published in February 2019 provided tailored risk assessments and an enhanced aviation safety case assessment methodology for MALE-type RPAS flying in non-segregated European airspace, alongside manned aviation. Following the presentation of those simulations results, France offered the possibility to perform real flights with a MALE-type RPAS (the FAF Reapers), including a cross-border portion. The successful results of the French test flight will now feed the guidelines for accommodation developed by EDA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and will be used for the ongoing work on the ‘Certified’ part of the European civil drone regulation. 

This year, there will be additional cross-borders flights performed by FAF Reapers in the framework of the EDA Accommodation Validation study. 

EDA issued recently a call for industry ideas and contributions in advance of the second ‘Countering Unmanned Airborne systems (C-UAS) Workshop’ scheduled to take place on 15 September 2020.  

After a first workshop jointly organised by EDA and the EU Military Staff last February (with participation from Member States, the European Commission and other institutional stakeholders), the aim is now to invite industry to the second workshop in autumn.  

Companies active in the C-UAS domain are therefore invited to respond to this CUAS Questionnaire by 3 July. 

Participation is open to companies of any size as well as academic, research institutes and associations or groupings of industrial suppliers. Speakers will be selected based on their replies to the call for papers, which will be evaluated by EDA. 

Whereas the first workshop in February was mainly devoted to identifying already available solutions that could be used in support of on-going CSDP operations and missions, the upcoming second event on 15 September will be focused on future capability development efforts related to C-UAS based on the Air Superiority priority agreed by Member States in 2018 as part of the 11 European Capability Development Priorities, as well as the corresponding Strategic Context Case (SCCs).   

During this second workshop, selected industry representatives will be invited to present their views to Member States focusing on the topics included in the call for papers and to make comments and suggestions on further perspectives which could inform capability development and R&T in the selected area. This should also include the long-term industrial and technological prospects (beyond 20 years) of potential relevance also to EDA’s work on Key Strategic Activities (KSA) in this critical domain.   

Contributions must be submitted to EDA at CAP@eda.europa.eu with a copy to dion.polman@eda.europa.eu by 3 July 2020. 

EDA issued recently a call for industry ideas and contributions in advance of the second ‘Countering Unmanned Airborne systems (C-UAS) Workshop’ scheduled to take place on 15 September 2020.  

After a first workshop jointly organised by EDA and the EU Military Staff last February (with participation from Member States, the European Commission and other institutional stakeholders), the aim is now to invite industry to the second workshop in autumn.  

Companies active in the C-UAS domain are therefore invited to respond to this CUAS Questionnaire by 3 July. 

Participation is open to companies of any size as well as academic, research institutes and associations or groupings of industrial suppliers. Speakers will be selected based on their replies to the call for papers, which will be evaluated by EDA. 

Whereas the first workshop in February was mainly devoted to identifying already available solutions that could be used in support of on-going CSDP operations and missions, the upcoming second event on 15 September will be focused on future capability development efforts related to C-UAS based on the Air Superiority priority agreed by Member States in 2018 as part of the 11 European Capability Development Priorities, as well as the corresponding Strategic Context Case (SCCs).   

During this second workshop, selected industry representatives will be invited to present their views to Member States focusing on the topics included in the call for papers and to make comments and suggestions on further perspectives which could inform capability development and R&T in the selected area. This should also include the long-term industrial and technological prospects (beyond 20 years) of potential relevance also to EDA’s work on Key Strategic Activities (KSA) in this critical domain.   

Contributions must be submitted to EDA at CAP@eda.europa.eu with a copy to dion.polman@eda.europa.eu by 3 July 2020. 

EDA has just launched a new study to evaluate the impact EU regulations on chemicals and waste might have on the wider defence sector. The results are expected to be available by the end of this year. 

The study does not cover the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) nor the CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) regulations which have already been assessed in an EDA study in 2016 and whose effects on defence equipment have proven to be significant - from design and manufacturing to in-service use, maintenance and disposal. 

In the new study, due to be delivered in December, the focus will be on other EU regulations related to chemicals which may also have an impact on European defence capabilities, such as:

• Biocidal Products (BPR)
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP)
• Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)
• Greenhouse Gases (F-GAS)
• Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). 

The study will also look into potential repercussions on defence of the recently revised EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD), and specifically its provision under Article 9 on providing information to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) database on Substances of Concern in articles as such or In complex Products (SCIP), as from 5 January 2021. 

The study will be carried out by a consortium encompassing Milieu Consulting SPRL (consortium leader) and REACHLAW Oy.
 

Objectives 

The aim of the study is to provide detailed information on the impact of those EU legislations on the defence sector and to propose recommendations on how defence stakeholders (Ministries of Defence, Armed Forces, defence industry) could deal with them in a more coherent way. 

As part of the study, the contractor will be conducting consultations with a range of relevant stakeholders, such as the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Member States’ MoDs, Member States’ competent authorities as well as defence industry stakeholders, including the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) as well as National Defence Industry Associations (NDIAs).
 

More information:

• REACH (EDA project page) 

 

EDA has just launched a new study to evaluate the impact EU regulations on chemicals and waste might have on the wider defence sector. The results are expected to be available by the end of this year. 

The study does not cover the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) nor the CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) regulations which have already been assessed in an EDA study in 2016 and whose effects on defence equipment have proven to be significant - from design and manufacturing to in-service use, maintenance and disposal. 

In the new study, due to be delivered in December, the focus will be on other EU regulations related to chemicals which may also have an impact on European defence capabilities, such as:

• Biocidal Products (BPR)
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP)
• Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)
• Greenhouse Gases (F-GAS)
• Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). 

The study will also look into potential repercussions on defence of the recently revised EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD), and specifically its provision under Article 9 on providing information to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) database on Substances of Concern in articles as such or In complex Products (SCIP), as from 5 January 2021. 

The study will be carried out by a consortium encompassing Milieu Consulting SPRL (consortium leader) and REACHLAW Oy.
 

Objectives 

The aim of the study is to provide detailed information on the impact of those EU legislations on the defence sector and to propose recommendations on how defence stakeholders (Ministries of Defence, Armed Forces, defence industry) could deal with them in a more coherent way. 

As part of the study, the contractor will be conducting consultations with a range of relevant stakeholders, such as the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Member States’ MoDs, Member States’ competent authorities as well as defence industry stakeholders, including the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) as well as National Defence Industry Associations (NDIAs).
 

More information:

• REACH (EDA project page) 

 

Smart textiles are a new generation of innovative material offering very interesting multifunctional properties such as being integrable into uniforms and platforms. They therefore have drawn the attention of the defence sector.   

Against this backdrop, EDA has incorporated smart textiles into the so-called Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) of its capability technology group (’CapTech’) devoted to Materials & Structures, and a specific Technology Building Block (TBB) was set up for them. Furthermore, other EDA CapTechs, such as those dealing with CBRN, Human Factors and Ground Systems, have taken initiatives related to smart textiles.  
 

STILE project 

In January 2019, EDA launched a project on “Smart TextILEs in defence: looking at the soldiers of the future” with two participating Member States, Spain and Portugal. The practical implementation of this project, called STILE, was assigned to a consortium led by the Spanish research institute AITEX, in collaboration with two Portuguese organisations, CITEVE and INEGI. 

The objective of STILE is to lay the foundation for a future ‘European Multifunctional Smart Textile’ for defence able to respond to a certain number of requirements in terms of functionality, integration, comfort and weight. More precisely, it was aimed to define a roadmap for developing a system offering several functionalities in a textile substrate, and to come up with a proof of concept that integrates various functionalities with state-of-the-art technologies.
 

Preliminary results  

The initial analysis undertaken under the project confirmed that Europe lacks multifunctional smart textile capabilities in defence. Hence the importance for the STILE project to produce a proof of concept of multifunctional smart textiles able to integrate in a single model all the afore-mentioned features and requirements.  

Preliminary results of the project give already an overview of the current R&T development and technology needs as well as the challenges laying ahead to overcome those needs. The methodology used was based on the technical knowledge of the consortium members and the collection of data coming from multiple sources, including a technology foresight workshop on smart textile technologies organised at EDA, a survey done among the Agency’s ‘Materials’ CapTech experts as well as various meetings with experts.
 

Roadmap 

A medium to long-term technology roadmap was established with a set of actions required to develop an innovative smart textile for future defence applications, including the incorporation of modern design and development methodology by the textile industry. For this purpose, two simulation models were developed to evaluate the main concepts regarding the thermal protection capacity of the garment and the thermal signature under different ambient conditions.  
 

Proof of concept 

As a first step of the roadmap, a multifunctional smart textile prototype - the first of this type and quality in Europe - was produced with the following functions (each of them tested):  

• signature management: the textile has multispectral camouflage in both static and moving positions 

• CBR threats monitoring: the smart textile detects the presence of hazardous agents (e.g. H2S, NO2, Cl2) and provides warning to the soldier 

• improved mobility, using various textile structures as well as seamless technology in body mapping concept 

• flame retardancy, water and dirt repellence and anti-mosquito solutions 

• physiological monitoring: the smart textile measures the heart rate and provide info to the soldier 

• temperature regulation (cooling and heating): the smart textile is able to control the body temperature through monitoring of the ambient temperature 

• communication: the smart textile provides all parameters, such as the heart rate, to the soldier via an app in the smartphone, embedded in the system. In addition, the data can be transferred to the operating centre, if needed. 
   

Testing in the field 

From June 2020 onwards, the STILE prototype will be further tested in the field to make sure that it fulfills the stringent military requirements. At the end of the project (expected in May 2021) an exhibition centre will be organized to reveal the fully tested STILE model to the European defence and dual use community, reaching out the potential users in the European Ministries of Defence. 

Smart textiles are a new generation of innovative material offering very interesting multifunctional properties such as being integrable into uniforms and platforms. They therefore have drawn the attention of the defence sector.   

Against this backdrop, EDA has incorporated smart textiles into the so-called Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) of its capability technology group (’CapTech’) devoted to Materials & Structures, and a specific Technology Building Block (TBB) was set up for them. Furthermore, other EDA CapTechs, such as those dealing with CBRN, Human Factors and Ground Systems, have taken initiatives related to smart textiles.  
 

STILE project 

In January 2019, EDA launched a project on “Smart TextILEs in defence: looking at the soldiers of the future” with two participating Member States, Spain and Portugal. The practical implementation of this project, called STILE, was assigned to a consortium led by the Spanish research institute AITEX, in collaboration with two Portuguese organisations, CITEVE and INEGI. 

The objective of STILE is to lay the foundation for a future ‘European Multifunctional Smart Textile’ for defence able to respond to a certain number of requirements in terms of functionality, integration, comfort and weight. More precisely, it was aimed to define a roadmap for developing a system offering several functionalities in a textile substrate, and to come up with a proof of concept that integrates various functionalities with state-of-the-art technologies.
 

Preliminary results  

The initial analysis undertaken under the project confirmed that Europe lacks multifunctional smart textile capabilities in defence. Hence the importance for the STILE project to produce a proof of concept of multifunctional smart textiles able to integrate in a single model all the afore-mentioned features and requirements.  

Preliminary results of the project give already an overview of the current R&T development and technology needs as well as the challenges laying ahead to overcome those needs. The methodology used was based on the technical knowledge of the consortium members and the collection of data coming from multiple sources, including a technology foresight workshop on smart textile technologies organised at EDA, a survey done among the Agency’s ‘Materials’ CapTech experts as well as various meetings with experts.
 

Roadmap 

A medium to long-term technology roadmap was established with a set of actions required to develop an innovative smart textile for future defence applications, including the incorporation of modern design and development methodology by the textile industry. For this purpose, two simulation models were developed to evaluate the main concepts regarding the thermal protection capacity of the garment and the thermal signature under different ambient conditions.  
 

Proof of concept 

As a first step of the roadmap, a multifunctional smart textile prototype - the first of this type and quality in Europe - was produced with the following functions (each of them tested):  

• signature management: the textile has multispectral camouflage in both static and moving positions 

• CBR threats monitoring: the smart textile detects the presence of hazardous agents (e.g. H2S, NO2, Cl2) and provides warning to the soldier 

• improved mobility, using various textile structures as well as seamless technology in body mapping concept 

• flame retardancy, water and dirt repellence and anti-mosquito solutions 

• physiological monitoring: the smart textile measures the heart rate and provide info to the soldier 

• temperature regulation (cooling and heating): the smart textile is able to control the body temperature through monitoring of the ambient temperature 

• communication: the smart textile provides all parameters, such as the heart rate, to the soldier via an app in the smartphone, embedded in the system. In addition, the data can be transferred to the operating centre, if needed. 
   

Testing in the field 

From June 2020 onwards, the STILE prototype will be further tested in the field to make sure that it fulfills the stringent military requirements. At the end of the project (expected in May 2021) an exhibition centre will be organized to reveal the fully tested STILE model to the European defence and dual use community, reaching out the potential users in the European Ministries of Defence. 

EDA’s Steering Board has given its green light for the launch of a new project designed to improve the receiver performance of electronic radio frequency (RF) sensors used in military platforms in adverse and heavily contested environments. Dubbed SPICE (‘Superior Performance in Contested Environments’), the project builds on the successful work already accomplished at the Agency in the same critical domain. 

At this stage, the Netherlands and Sweden are participating in this new project which is however open to all Member States. It aims to further develop the excellent results of two previous EDA ad hoc projects on Switched Applications (SWAP) and Switched Applications-Complementary (SWAP-C), local RF power generation and amplification based on switched technology. These projects were focused on narrow band transceivers to improve the performance of radars for naval applications and on wideband transceivers for electronic warfare for combat aircraft. Both of them demonstrated the superior performance of gallium-Nitride (GaN) technology for the transmit path compared to other technologies previously used.
 

Improving the receivers

Over the next 36 months, SPICE will take this work forward with the aim of improving the performance of the receive channel of the transceiver (dynamic range, linearity, efficiency etc.). This is done in an integral approach over the complete RF chain, while taking into account additional requirements such as cost and other system-imposed constraints (including cooling). The work will start with investigating, defining and specifying concepts with which the linearity and performance of receivers can be achieved. This also includes an assessment of all the technologies currently available. 

As part of an exploration and experimentation phase, the consortium will work on wideband receivers, narrowband receivers and packaging and integration technologies. The consortium involved in the afore-mentioned projects remains the same, contributing to increase the expertise of the European defence industry and create a stable supply chain around key European players.

Following his appointment by the EDA Steering Board on 5 March, Jiří Šedivý has officially taken over on 4 May as the Agency’s new Chief Executive for an initial 3-year mandate, extendable for two additional years. 

“It is a great honour and privilege for me to take up the position of Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency. As European defence cooperation has made significant progress over recent years with the establishment of new EU defence tools, the importance of the Agency has considerably grown. The current global COVID-19 pandemic and its economic, budgetary and security-related repercussions make EU defence cooperation even more indispensable. New challenges notwithstanding, we must preserve the continuity and dynamics in the area of collaborative defence capability development. Therefore, and perhaps more than before, we need a strong, effective and reliable Agency supporting its Member States, enhancing cooperation with all relevant EU bodies and institutions as well as partners”, Jiří Šedivý stated when taking up his duties. 
  

Defence experience 

Mr Šedivý has extensive experience in the defence domain, having served as Defence Minister of the Czech Republic (2006-2007), Deputy Defence Minister (2010-2012), NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning (2007-2010) and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO (2012-2019). 
 

More information:

• Jiří Šedivý, EDA Chief Executive