Non-thematic research actions targeting disruptive technologies for defence

Expected Impact:• Scientific and technological contributions to the foundation of a future technology with disruptive applications in the area of defence.

• Enhanced innovation capacity of the EDTIB by identifying and exploring ground-breaking concepts and approaches or by applying technologies and concepts previously not applied in the defence sector.
• Enhanced competitiveness of the EDTIB and creation of new defence markets.
• Enhanced defence research and innovation capacity across Europe by involvement of actors that can make a difference in the future, such as excellent researchers, ambitious high-tech SMEs or visionary departments of large companies, universities or research and technology organisations.

Objective:The specific challenge is to lay the foundations for radically new future technologies of any kind with unexpected impact that aims to bring radical technological superiority over potential adversaries. This topic also encourages the driving role of new actors in defence research and innovation, including excellent researchers, ambitious high-tech SMEs and visionary research centres of big companies, universities or research and technology organisations.

Scope:The proposals are sought for cutting-edge, high-risk/high-impact research leading to game-changing impact in a defence context. They must have the following essential characteristics:

• A disruptive impact in a defence context: the proposals need to clearly address how the proposed solutions would create a disruptive effect when integrated in a realistic military operation;
• Radical vision: the proposals must address a clear and radical vision, enabled by a new technology concept that challenges current paradigms. In particular, research to advance on the roadmap of a well-established technological paradigm, even if high-risk, will not be funded;
• Breakthrough technological target: the proposals must target novel and ambitious scientific or technological breakthroughs that can be experimentally assessed, and the suitability of the concept for new defence applications must be duly demonstrated. Basic research without a clear technological objective targeting defence applications will not be funded.

The inherently high risks of the research proposed must be mitigated by a flexible methodology to deal with the considerable science-and-technology uncertainties and for choosing alternative directions and options.

The proposals must address disruptive technologies and should include clear descriptions of the proposed criteria to assess work package completion.

The proposals may address any area of interest for defence.

Types of activities

The following types of activities are eligible for this topic:

Types of activities

(art 10(3) EDF Regulation)

Eligible?

(a)

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)

Yes

(mandatory)

(b)

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)

Yes

(optional)

(c)

Studies, such as feasibility studies to explore the feasibility of new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions

Yes

(optional)

(d)

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

Yes

(optional)

(e)

System prototyping of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

No

(f)

Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

No

(g)

Qualification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

No

(h)

Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

No

(i)

Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies

No

Functional requirements

This call topic is open to any technology with a high disruption potential. The proposals should describe the targeted functionalities and the foreseen means to measure progress toward the achievements of these functionalities.