Deadline: 24-Nov-22
The European Commission (EC) has announced a call for proposals for EU action grants in the field of collaborative defence research and development under the European Defence Fund (EDF).
Objective: This call for proposals intends to pave the way for complementing or replacing existing European External Action Service (EEAS) C2 and Communication and Information Systems (CIS), to enhance and further develop the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), covering all military operations, both executive and nonexecutive, within the EU’s Level of Ambition as formulated in the EU Global Strategy, subsequent Council Conclusions and the Strategic Compass. The ultimate aim is to allow planning and conduct of CSDP missions and operations at strategical and operational level.
Proposals must demonstrate the capability to develop such a C2 capability and business and common services using a software technology model. Interfaces with existing and in-development EU, NATO and national C2 systems must be substantiated to ensure future interoperability.
The software technology model, which may integrate existing modules, must provide the services and functionalities required to demonstrate that the MPCC, as the main foreseen end-user, would be able to simultaneously plan and conduct executive and non-executive missions and operations, anywhere in the world, autonomously or in cooperation with other EEAS services, EU Member States, Norway or international organizations (e.g., mainly NATO).
Types of Activities
- Activities that aim to create, underpin and improve knowledge, products and technologies, including disruptive technologies, which can achieve significant effects in the area of defence (generating knowledge)
- Activities that aim to increase interoperability and resilience, including secured production and exchange of data, to master critical defence technologies, to strengthen the security of supply or to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies (integrating knowledge)
- Studies, such as feasibility studies to explore the feasibility of new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions
- Design of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology as well as the definition of the technical specifications on which such design has been developed, including partial tests for risk reduction in an industrial or representative environment
- System prototyping of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology (prototype)
- Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
- Qualification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
- Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
- Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies
Funding Information
The available call budget is EUR 30 000 000.
Expected Impact
The expected impacts from the action should be:
- Development of Joint C2 critical enablers for CSDP operations and missions.
- Reduction of the minimum reaction time for deployment of European military missions.
- Integration of all CIS and ISR data provided by Member States, Norway, EU forces, NATO and civil agencies.
- Situational awareness improvement, resilience and security of EU operations.
- Creation of a reference Strategic C2 System that will improve the capabilities of the European defence industry to develop and supply state-of-the-art C2 systems.
- Reinforcement of the interoperability of Member States and Norway’ armed forces.
- Cost reduction of European military missions.
- Enhancement of unity of command, from the strategic to the tactical level.
- Interoperability achievement and matching of heterogeneous networks.
- Command connectivity improvement among all users.
- Visualization capabilities in near real time to multiple platforms and a broad range of capabilities and C&C-scenarios.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries
- have their executive management structure established in eligible countries
- must not be subject to control by a non-associated third country or nonassociated third-country entity
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3bovbne