Cybersecurity and systems for improved resilience

Closed

Code: 23312 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-DA-CYBER-CSIR | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

Kinetic and digital military operations increasingly rely on computers and networked communications for information gathering, intelligence, coordination and weapon control. At the same time as the dependencies on digital technologies rapidly grows, so does the potential threats and vulnerabilities. The global community, military, and battlefield may be affected by increasing threats. Furthermore, the Internet of Things (IoT) has become widely integrated into a variety of sectors and industries, offering “readymade” solutions for surveillance, monitoring, healthcare, and military platforms. Examples for IoT devices are drones, software defined radios, sensors (cameras, humidity, temperature), TV devices, cars/vehicles). Many IoT solutions are designed primarily for functionality, without being properly secured. As a result, attacks on IoT environments have gained momentum due to the increased attack surface. Therefore, the need for cybersecurity services, including ensuring an appropriate level of control and prevention (e.g., over data, communications, systems), must be addressed.

Modelling, simulation and simulator integration contributing to decision-making and training

Closed

Code: 23171 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-DA-SIMTRAIN-MSSI | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

This proposal should lead to an enhanced EU military training and decision-making capability by connecting individual national systems through distributed solutions. Achieving the added benefit of sharing and pooling resources across EU through a shared ecosystem of simulation services. The goal of this initiative should be to establish a Distributed Synthetic Training and decision-making capability in Europe.

Proof of Concept for Technology / Knowhow Applications

Closed

Code: 23306 | Identifier Code: CONCEPT/0722 | Programme name: 2799 | Start submission calls: 07/07/2022 | End submission calls: 07/10/2022

The “Proof of Concept for Technology / Knowhow Applications” Programme aims at the preliminary investigation of possible industrial applications of a technology/knowhow.

Smart and multifunctional textiles

Closed

Code: 23169 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-DA-MATCOMP-SMT | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

Soldier equipment needs to allow for activities that are often physically demanding, while bringing protection, situational awareness and preserving capacity to act, endurance, and mobility. The garment is an integral part of that equipment and must meet this challenge. Smart and multifunctional textiles are a new generation of materials and systems with multifunctional properties which, given their ability of being integrated into uniforms, have drawn the attention of the defence community.

Smart textiles are defined as textiles able to interact with their surroundings: they respond and adapt to a given stimulus. Functional textiles provide an additional and specific function through their composition, their construction and/or their finish. Typically, these functions encompass enhanced mechanical resistance, water and/or dirt repellence, fire retardancy, antibacterial properties, protection against ultraviolet
radiation, pest or chemicals, thermal isolation, etc. Smart and multi-functional textiles pave the way to multiple possibilities for developing high-tech garments responding to multiple needs in an elegant solution.

These materials enable to integrate different components and devices, in a comfortable and ergonomic way, providing a wide range of functionalities that can improve the safety, performance and wellbeing of the soldiers. Moreover, those textiles also offer new integration opportunities with platforms and systems.

Innovative multi-sensor space-based Earth observation capabilities towards persistent and reactive ISR

Closed

Code: 23167 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-DA-SPACE-ISR | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

This topic aims at developing an affordable constellation of small satellites, including its ground segments able to handle various types of sensor payloads (e.g., optical video, low light, infrared, hyperspectral, RADAR, SIGINT) for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) applications. Such a constellation would complement high-end existing military capabilities while allowing responsive and smart tasking and data collection for near real-time tactical use.

This topic may also pave the way towards a collective and concerted approach regarding a future operational European Earth observation capability for ISR applications.

Innovation Vouchers

Closed

Code: 23161 | Identifier Code: INNOVOUCHERS/0722 | Programme name: 13602 | Start submission calls: 04/07/2022 | End submission calls: 16/12/2022

«Innovation Vouchers» Programme aims to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to engage in research and innovation activities and to strengthen cooperation between enterprises and knowledge intensive organizations. SMEs will be  supported to develop innovative solutions in order to address challenges or problems they face, through the transfer of know-how from knowledge intensive organizations and access to laboratory infrastructures.

Furthermore, the Programme aims to the exploitation of academic research by the industry through the provision of advisory services by Research Organisations to enterprises, the creation of appropriate conditions for cooperation, and the increase of private expenditure in Academic and Research Organisations.

Award of Innovation Vouchers also seeks to contribute to the mitigation of one of the major challenges encountered during the implementation of research and innovation funding schemes and measures, which is the difficulty to be exploited by a large number of SMEs.

European defence medical countermeasures alliance

Closed

Code: 23095 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-FPA-MCBRN-MCM | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

The framework partnership will support individual troop readiness and total force health protection by developing technologies and products to rapidly identify and respond to biological threats (including natural and genetically modified organism), chemical hazards and attacks, toxins as well as countermeasures regarding radio-nuclear and nuclear threats. Funded actions also focus on the research and development of vaccines and drugs and other antibiological substances (e.g., bacteriophages) against biological agents that may affect a sizable number of the military and/or be used on the battlefield. A subset of the funded actions specifically supports solutions to be used by personnel with minimal medical training, deployable laboratory capabilities even in the low-resource environments typical of many military operations.

Non-thematic development actions by SMEs

Closed

Code: 23092 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-LS-DA-SME-NT | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

This call encourages the driving role of innovative SMEs to turn technology and research results into defence products in a fast and cost-efficient way, possibly by adapting technologies from civil applications or addressing hybrid warfare. Successful SME beneficiaries may be offered Business Coaching, to reduce the time of bringing the results to the next phase of development.

Innovative technologies for adaptive camouflage

Closed

Code: 23090 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-LS-RA-DIS-AC | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

Camouflage is an important measure to protect soldiers and military platforms. The adaptation of the camouflage characteristics to the conditions, such as encountered sensors, environment and threat level, could bring this protection to a new level. Both the performance of the adaptive camouflage and material characteristics, including its passive properties (e.g., fire/electric shock protection and camouflage), will influence the impact of this technology on military capabilities. This topic complements ongoing projects, in particular following the PADR call on research in technology and products in the context of Force Protection and Soldier Systems.

Electromagnetic artillery demonstrator

Closed

Code: 23086 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-LS-RA-DIS-EAD | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

The combination of electromagnetic artillery guns with smart ammunition can provide long-range precision strikes, as well as increased air defence and anti-surface warfare capabilities. Such combination is expected to improve the effectiveness and the protection of future European land and naval systems. Electromagnetic guns might provide a drastic superiority over conventional guns due to its hypersonic muzzle velocities, while guided projectiles will provide higher accuracy and precision. This
topic complements ongoing projects, in particular following the 2019 PADR call on emerging technologies for defence.

Non-thematic research actions targeting disruptive technologies for defence

Closed

Code: 23083 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-LS-RA-DIS-NT | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

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.

Cyber and information warfare toolbox

Closed

Code: 23081 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-DA-CYBER-CIWT | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

The continuously and rapidly increasing flow of information in the information environment, facilitated through cyber capabilities, is a well-established fact. We are witnessing an increasing number of malicious actions targeting the information
environment. In the more and more digitalized battlespace, the Cyber and Information domains become decisive to anticipate and manage conflicts in the full spectrum of threat activities from sub-threshold interference to open warfare.

Support to the National Focal Point (NFP) network

Closed

Code: 23078 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-CSA-NFP-SNFPN | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 26/10/2022

The objectives of this call are to:

• enhance the functioning of the EDF-NFP network and contribute to the increase of the impact of the EDF in maximising the competitiveness of EU defence industry, its capacity to innovate and contribute to developing key technologies
  for the future;
• strengthen cross-border collaboration between EDF-NFPs and to improve coordination in EDF-NFP-related activities that reach more than one Member State or Associated Country;
• continuously improve the services of the individual EDF-NFPs with respect to all aspects of participation in the EDF and to all stakeholders concerned;
• foster matchmaking activities to facilitate the forming of consortia participating in the EDF calls
• enhance the cooperation of EDF-NFPs with the Enterprise Europe Network and other relevant networks

Unmanned ground and aerial systems for hidden threats detection – Organisation of a technological challenge

Closed

Code: 23075 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-LS-RA-CHALLENGE-DIGIT-HTDO | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

IED and landmine detection has been a research topic for many years. However, progress is hindered by the lack of standardised benchmarks. There is a need to rely on representative testing environments enabling an objective and comparable
evaluation of developed systems.

Furthermore, field tests cannot be repeated at will and are not perfectly reproducible, especially for detection systems that involve artificial intelligence. Online tests of software components, for which measurements are easily reproducible and which
enable short development cycles, should therefore also be organised. Since little data is readily available, data for online tests need to be collected during field tests organised previously during the challenge. This combination of field tests and online
tests is needed to steer fast progress toward operational goals.

Unmanned ground and aerial systems for hidden threats detection – Participation to a technological challenge

Closed

Code: 23072 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-LS-RA-CHALLENGE-DIGIT-HTDP | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and landmines are a significant threat to military personnel, civilians and equipment, and a major cause of casualties for European forces during operations. Countering these hidden threats is essential to protect
soldiers, reduce loss of equipment, secure critical logistic activities, improve mobility and freedom to act by increasing the security of operation areas, and more generally enhance operational efficiency. Furthermore, in a hybrid warfare context, these
threats are increasingly used against civilian populations. In particular, they have the potential to severely disrupt both military and civilian supply chains, damage critical infrastructures and affect strategic lines of communication.

Single European Sky interoperability

Closed

Code: 23070 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-RA-C4ISR-AIRC2 | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

In order to cope with sustained air traffic growth and operations over Europe, the Single European Sky (SES) initiative has been running since 2004. It intends to improve the performance of Air Traffic Management (ATM) in terms of safety,
capacity, cost-efficiency and the environment. It hence paves the way for a European airspace that is used optimally, embraces emerging disruptive technologies, facilitates the integration of “new entrants” such as all types of drones, High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) to super- and hyper-sonic aircraft, trans-atmospheric and suborbital vehicles, and complies with emerging challenges. This modernisation of the civil aviation sector does not directly apply to military operations and training. However, civil and military aviation activities are closely interlinked, as they share the same airspace considered as a continuum. Therefore, SES implies a necessary coordinated modernisation of the different Air Command and Control (C2) systems, which are furthermore to collaborate at national and EU levels. Indeed, in this context, concomitant with a more hostile security environment, the timely sharing of correct and consistent information covering all phases of flight, between civil and military
parties is a must.

Packaging technologies for critical defence components

Closed

Code: 23066 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-RA-MATCOMP-PACOMP | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

Future defence systems that target information superiority, new communication capabilities, new battlefield operations, combat capabilities and inter-theatre air operations require electronic components with high performance and multiple
functionalities. Systems such as radiofrequency (RF) sensors for radars or electronic warfare systems, intelligent processing platforms or hardware-secured/cyber-secured modules need to be highly integrated and to fulfil specific military requirements. A particular challenge for defence forces is the digital control of the RF spectrum. For example, digital radar equipment will be driven mainly by components like analog-todigital converters (ADC), digital-to-analog converters (DAC), the RF frontend, which
will be mainly characterised by a transmit (high power amplifier – HPA) signal chain and a receiver (low noise amplifier – LNA) signal chain, and a robust switch, setting the mode of operation.

Diagnostics, treatment, transport and monitoring of highly contagious, injured and/or contaminated personnel

Closed

Code: 23064 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-RA-MCBRN-HICP | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

Research and development in detection, diagnostics, treatment, transport and monitoring of highly contagious, injured and/or contaminated personnel (HICP) provides for new life-saving techniques, concepts and strategies for soldiers on the
battlefield, including surgical robots, ultra-portable telemedicine devices and diagnostics sensors, Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) containment systems, ‘porter’ or load- carrying Unmanned Vehicles (UVs) and battlefield casualty extraction devices. Battlefield logistics are a challenge regardless of the mission. Adversaries, terrain, and the environment all serve to complicate the process of delivering supplies to the wounded and sick. The medical support to a force must be capable of maintaining the necessary quality and quantity of supply, treatment and evacuation activities during peace, crisis, and conflict. This requires having on hand or in reserve appropriate medical equipment, supplies, integrated medical evacuation capabilities and remote casualty care capacity, as well as having the ability to resupply and to replace medical personnel on a continuous basis.

Responsive space system

Closed

Code: 23062 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-RA-SPACE-RSS | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

The general objective of this research topic is to pave the way towards a future European responsive space system able to place small satellites in various types of orbits within a short notice in order to address specific operational needs, including
tactical ones, and capability gaps stemming from shortage, failures and damages of existing space assets. This is particularly relevant in the field of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and satellite communication (SATCOM) where
space assets have to be continuously operational and available to monitor and react to risks and events.

Such a responsive space system will enhance the resilience and autonomy of the Member States, Norway and of the European Union in the fields of ‘access to space’ and ‘space capabilities for defence applications.

Underwater manned-unmanned teaming and swarms

Closed

Code: 23059 | Identifier Code: EDF-2022-RA-UWW-UTS | Programme name: 3564 | Start submission calls: 21/06/2022 | End submission calls: 24/11/2022

This topic addresses research for future capabilities addressing moving subsurface threats using manned-unmanned teaming and swarm technologies, possibly including surface and air platforms and components, particularly in confined and shallow waters (CSW). This System-of-Systems (SoS) should enable enhanced operational efficiency and performance. The actions in this topic should address state-of-the-art, and beyond, swarm control solutions. This includes analysis of centralised, distributed, and hybrid control models. Swarm control may employ control scheme with a global or local approach and their optimised combination. The control-scheme should adopt to mission type changes as the operation evolves from one phase to another. Guidance and control strategies for the swarm are also to be considered, where inductive and swarm internal cognitive-like self-control needs to be analysed.