Non-thematic research actions by SMEs and research organisations

Expected Impact:The outcome should contribute to:

• Innovative and cost-effective solutions for defence applications.
• Ground-breaking or novel concepts and approaches, new promising future technological improvements or the application of technologies or concepts previously not applied in the defence sector.
• Enhanced innovation capacity across Europe by involvement of SMEs that can make a difference in the future.
• Potential for future market creation for SMEs, especially by facilitating access of SMEs to defence markets and supply chains.
• Development of European research and technology ecosystems and to the strengthening of EU Member States’ and EDF Associated Countries’ defence supply chains.

Objective:This call topic encourages the driving role of innovative SMEs and Research Organisations (RO) in bringing forward innovation defence research, possibly by adapting technologies from civil applications or addressing hybrid warfare.

Scope:The proposals must address innovative technologies and solutions for defence, including those that can improve readiness, deployability, reliability, safety and sustainability of forces in defence tasks and missions, for example in terms of operations, equipment, infrastructure, energy solutions, surveillance systems or digital solutions.

The proposals must address any area of interest for defence.

In addition, to best complement R&D efforts already targeting civil applications and to encourage the efficient spinning-in of knowledge, innovation and technological development to the defence sector, this topic also welcomes proposals for add-on research actions to adapt solutions originally developed for civil applications and previously not applied in defence sector. The proposals should drive forward or integrate results of projects funded under EU funded programme calls with a focus on civil applications and under the provision that the applicants have the necessary rights to access and commercialise the results of the precursor projects.

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

(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

(c)

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

Yes

(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

(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

The proposals must not cover studies only.

The proposals must describe a clear work breakdown structure and link the proposed tasks to eligible activities.

The proposals should include clear descriptions of the proposed criteria to assess work package completion.

Functional requirements

This call topic is open to any technological research for defence. The proposals should describe the targeted functionalities and the foreseen means to measure progress toward the achievements of these functionalities.