EDA News

Four new Project Arrangements (PA) were signed by participating EDA Member States in the margins of the EDA Steering Board meeting in Capability Directors formation which took place on 23 March at the Agency under the chairmanship of Lieutenant General Erhard Bühler. EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq welcomed the news signings as they show that progress is being made on important and concrete capability projects within the EDA. 

The four Project Arrangements are related to the following projects :

• Multimodal Transport Hub.This project involving 14 contributing Member States (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Slovenia) aims to simplify the procedures for the crossing of borders and national territories with military personnel and equipment. Other objectives are to apply harmonized Customs procedures, to ensure a more cost-effective use and pooling of European transport assets, to allow for the best use of existing air/sea/inland infrastructure and increased civil military transport synergies, and to develop cost saving options for combining a range of logistic facilities and systems. The overarching aim of the project is to develop a European Multimodal Transport Hub Network ready to be used by CSDP missions and for other Member States’ purposes (day to day business and exercises) through harmonised regulations, procedures and processes as well as pooling and sharing of movement and transport assets and infrastructure in Europe. Once set up, this European network will considerably facilitate the deployment of troops and assets for joint CSDP operations as well as the overall military movement and transport.This project involving 14 contributing Member States.
 

• ECMAN (European Centre for Manual Neutralisation Capabilities). The aim of this project is to provide participating Member States (Austria, as a lead nation, as well as Germany, the Czech Republic, Finland and Italy) with expertise and experience in the field of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) threats. The project will provide opportunities to enhance education and training, improve interoperability and capabilities, assist in doctrine, TTPs and equipment development & testing and validate concepts through experimentation. Close involvement during the entire cycle of a Manual Neutralisation (MN) activity will provide participating Member States with highly skilled MN personnel. ECMAN is a follow-on activity of the EDA Category B programme Manual Neutralisation Techniques Courses and Exercises (MNT C&E). 


• PRCPC (Personnel Recovery Controller and Planner Course). This project was established in 2013 as a Cat B project under the lead of Sweden. The course was initiated by six contributing Member States: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The Course was extended a first time until 2015 and then until 2017. Cyprus joined in 2017. The main focus of the Course, which will now run until 2019, is to train staff officers in supporting their commanders in Personnel Recovery related tasks. The EU will thereby benefit from the increased number of trained personnel available to support future CSDP operations and missions


• M3U (Multinational Modular Medical Unit). This project will standardize national medical capabilities to achieve a high level of multinational interoperability so that different medical modules can be integrated within a framework structure offered by a Frame Nation. The final outcome will be a deployable & sustainable Multinational Modular Medical Unit.  Nine EDA Member States have signed the PA today (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, Romania, The Netherlands, Cyprus, Italy, Finland) but more are expected to join soon. 

The 4th European Air-to-Air Refuelling Training exercise (EART 2017) is hosted by the Netherlands at Eindhoven airbase from 26 March to 7 April with four nations participating. EART 2017 will bring together tankers from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and France for a two week training exercise.

The EART concept was introduced in 2014 following EDA’s air-to-air refuelling initiative, and is run by European Air Transport Command (EATC) from Eindhoven airbase. The exercise is supported by the Host nation (Netherlands), MCCE and EDA. EART is organised on a yearly basis and is pooled with the Dutch Frisian Flag fighter exercise that operates from Leeuwarden Airbase.

The aim of EART 2017 is to train tanker crews in air-to-air refuelling operations within a realistic and multinational framework. In combination with the Frisian Flag exercise, EART 2017 represents a unique opportunity for specific training for air crews, planners, taskers and engineers in planning and executing missions in a complex COMAO (composite air operation) environment. The exercise director for EART 2017 is Colonel Andrea Massucci (Italian Air Force).

During the training exercise, crews will have the opportunity to increase their know-how in complex multinational scenarios. Furthermore crews can enhance their knowledge of multinational tanker aircraft and exchange information and procedures. EART 2017 is part of an approach that puts a premium on joint training exercises and increased standardisation to enhance overall effectiveness and interoperability of forces. 

EDA Live coverage: March 29th

EDA will be live from Eindhoven airbase for special coverage of EART2017. Throughout the day we will be bringing you live updates on twitter of the training exercise, interviews and coverage of air-to-air refuelling in action. Visit our twitter page (@EUDefenceAgency) and get involved using #EART2017.  

Air-to-Air Refueling: EDA’s Global Approach

EDA has developed a global approach with three objectives: optimizing the use of assets, increasing the overall AAR capacity and reducing fragmentation of the fleet. This work has led to three complementary work-strands, on some of which EDA is cooperating closely with other agencies and organizations like OCCAR, the Movement Coordination Center Europe (MCCE) and the European Air Transport Command (EATC).

EART 2017 is part of EDA’s first work strand (optimization of existing capabilities), which is achieved by supporting training exercises. In this domain, EDA has also taken the lead to streamline the different certification processes leading to a clearance. By standardizing these processes the different aviation authorities can easily identify the differences between their own process and their counterpart. By working closely together, already fielded capabilities and future capabilities, can work more cost efficiently and increase their operational output. 

• Air-to-Air Refueling Project page

• Air-to-Air Refueling Fact sheet

A delegation from the SEDE Subcommittee of the European Parliament, led by Chair Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, visited the European Defence Agency today to discuss a range of defence related topics. They were received by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq, Deputy Chief Executive Rini Goos as well as the Directors for Cooperation, Planning & Support (CPS) and European Synergies & Innovation (ESI), Roland Van Reybroeck and Denis Roger.

Welcoming the MEPs to the Agency, Chief Executive Jorge Domecq underlined that the EDA attaches great significance to the European Parliament in general, and the SEDE in particular. “Your subcommittee has been of great help in developing the full potential of the Agency and a crucial actor to promote defence cooperation”, he said.

MEPs were updated on the upcoming launch of the Preparatory Action (PA) on defence-related research, the ongoing capability development process (and specifically its links with defence research activities), EDA’s role in implementing the European Defence Action Plan (EDAP) as well as on the ongoing Long Term Review process of the EDA. The various presentations were followed by a lively and interesting exchange of views on a wide variety of topics. 

The SEDE delegation was composed by the following MEPs: Anna Elzbieta FOTYGA (ECR), Michael GAHLER (EPP), Geoffrey VAN ORDEN (ECR), Norica NICOLAI (ALDE),  Eva KAILI (SD), Janusz ZEMKE (SD), Indre TARAND (Greens/EFA), Bodil VALERO (Greens/EFA), Doru-Claudian FRUNZULICA (SD), Tunne KELAM (EPP), Iveta GRIGULE (ALDE), Eugen FREUND (SD), Georgios KYRTSOS (EPP), Massimo CASTALDO (EFDD), Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENE (EPP). 

• Members of European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) visit the EDA (November 2016)
  
  

The 5th in the series of Helicopter Tactics Instructors Courses (HTIC) to be ran by EDA on behalf of Member States will kick off on 15 May 2017 at Royal Air Force (RAF) Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire in the United Kingdom.  The HTIC has grown significantly over the four previous courses both in terms of scope and quality and, for the first time, almost all of the staff instructors (90%) will be successful graduates of previous courses.  This point of self-sustainment is a long-held aspiration, which dates back to when the programme was first initiated by the EDA over five years ago, and marks a final chapter on its route to maturity.

The 5th HTIC will begin with a four-week classroom phase including simulator exercises at Linton-on-Ouse.  This is followed by a three week deployment to Arvidsjaur Airfield in Lapland (Sweden) where the participants will engage in live flying exercises operating Swedish Blackhawks, Austrian Huey, Kiowa & Blackhawks and German CH-53s. 

The Staff Instructors will come from Sweden, Austria and the UK with supporting air assets including: Hawks from 100 Sqn (UK), Gripens from F21 Wing in Lulea (Sweden) and Alca Jets from the Czech Air Force.  Additionally, a DA-20 Falcon from Cobham Aviation will provide EW and C2 support, augmented with ground based Electronic Warfare (EW) assets provided by RAF Spadeadam’s EW Range.  In total, around 35 trainees and instructors will participate in the ground phase.  However, that number will swell to  over 120, with all the supporting assets, engineers and operations personnel during the flying phase.

The EDA’s Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC) provides aircrew from participating nations with the skills and knowledge to teach advanced tactics to front-line aircrews from within their own national organisations and to assist in delivering the EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), the Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC) and the future HTIC. Successful graduates from the course are awarded a qualification recognised by other Member States.  HTIC development courses run over two years: in the first year, prospective instructors refine their own knowledge of advanced helicopter tactics to the maximum degree. In the second year, the emphasis shifts  to develop the participants’ ability to teach those tactics. In turn, Instructors who have demonstrated above average abilities in delivering the course will be individually selected to become supervising instructors for future HTIC.

The three main elements of HTIC include Evasion Training, Electronic Warfare and advanced Operations.  They are initially taught as stand-alone skills before being brought together in a complex, non-permissive environment in the framework of the planning and execution of Composite Air Operations (COMAO).

EDA organised a one-day “jumbo” workshop on 28 February which for the first time gathered together Member States and industry representatives from the 4 EDA networks on Defence Market and Industry issues, notably the Defence Acquisition Expert Network, the Defence Industry Expert Network and SMEs Point of Contact, as well as the Defence Supply Chain Network, to discuss proposals aimed at improving the transparency of the European Defence Equipment Market (EDEM), the competitiveness of European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) and promoting cooperation in defence procurement.

The workshop, held at the EDA in Brussels, brought together more than 80 experts from Member States and industry; a total of 25 Member States were represented at the event. Discussions focused on three central themes: cooperative defence procurement, cross-border contracting and supply chains and administrative burdens in defence procurement in view of collecting expert’s recommendations on potential concrete future actions. To facilitate the discussions, participants were provided with related ‘food for thought’ papers ahead of the workshop.

Many of the recommendations centred around the need of information sharing and the enhancement of trust among suppliers across national borders. The proposals drawn-up from the workshop will be forwarded to the concerned EDA networks to examine their further implementation within future EDA activities and projects.  

EDA is particularly grateful to the external moderators who worked with EDA on the ‘food for thought’ papers and led the discussions in respective groups:

• Dr. Aris GEORGOPOULOS, Assist. Professor in European and Public Law – Advocate, Head of Defence and Strategic Procurement Research Unit, PPRG, School of Law, University of Nottingham,

• Dr. Vincenzo RANDAZZO, Legal Officer, Public Procurement Legislation and Enforcement, DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW)/G/3, European Commission, Brussels

• Dr. Daniel FIOTT, Security and Defence Editor at EU Institute for Security Studies,
• Mr. Dusan ŠVARC, Deputy director of the Czech Republic’s Defence and Security Industry Association (DSIA), EDA SME Senior Advisor
• Professor Martin TRYBUS, Professor of European Law and Policy, Director, Institute of European Law, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham,
• Mr. Francisco MENE, Delegate to NATO NIAG, LoI, EDA, ASD for TEDAE (Spanish Defence Industry Association), EDA SME Senior Advisor

• Access to EU funding (EDA project page)
• Dual-use research (EDA project page)
• Successful seminar on EU funding opportunities in Spain (EDA news)
• 3 out of 3: another EDA supported dual-use R&T project is awarded ESIF funding (EDA News)
• Polish dual-use R&T project co-funded by ESIF (EDA news)

In an Opinion Editorial published this weekend simultaneously in a number of selected European newspapers and online media(*), EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq highlights the multiple benefits of deeper European cooperation in the field of defence (especially cost-savings and increased efficiency & interoperability) and called for “making defence a matter of genuine European interest”.

 Here is the full text of Mr Domecq’s article:

Deeper EU defence cooperation is not just inevitable: it also pays off for governments and citizens

Long treated as a marginal aspect of the European Union’s wider Common and Security Policy, defence has emerged as a top priority on the European agenda. Successive EU and Member States initiatives in 2016 have catapulted defence to centre-stage.

More than that: as EU leaders prepare to meet in Rome on 25 March for the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties in the midst of one of the most challenging and turbulent periods the Union has ever faced, defence is put forward as an area in which the European project could be reinvigorated with success.

I share this ambition: the time has come to make defence a matter of genuine European interest.

Let’s be frank: we, Europeans, have no credible alternative but to join forces and think and act on security and defence in more European terms, beyond national lines. The growing threats in our immediate neighbourhood, the future of our transatlantic relationship and the technological revolution that is taking place on a global scale should convince even the most skeptical that, at this time, Europe will not get out of doing more and better for its own security.

Politically, a stronger and more cooperative European approach to defence seems inevitable. To put it bluntly: the changing global order will sooner or later oblige European nations to pull together and to act collectively if they want to remain capable of protecting their interests and citizens.

But pressure from outside should not be the only driver. In fact, there are also many practical reasons why enhanced European defence cooperation makes lot of sense.

Budgetary sense, first and foremost.

Today, Europe’s defence market remains seriously fragmented. Budgets are planned and spent nationally by 28 Defence Ministries without any proper coordination. This is costly and often leads to duplication of effort and spending as each Member State tries to cover the whole spectrum of defence capabilities. Better planning, joint procurement and the pooling and sharing of defence capabilities can therefore improve the output of military spending and save large amounts of taxpayers’ money.

Estimates(**) suggest European governments could save almost a third (!) of what they spend on military equipment if they decided to coordinate investments. We are talking here about billions and billions of euros which could be saved or freed for additional long-term investment.

But cost-effectiveness is not the only benefit. Interoperability and increased effectiveness are equally important outcomes of a more cooperative approach on defence spending.

Compared to the US, European Armed Forces operate far too many different types of military capabilities. In 2016, for example, EU Member States had 20 different types of fighter aircraft (compared to 6 in the US), 29 types of frigates (4 in the US) or 20 types armoured fighting vehicles (2 in the US). More cooperative planning, procurement and operation of assets would streamline the capabilities in use and thereby considerably improve Member States Armed Forces’ interoperability.

Pooling and sharing is therefore key to making sure that European Armed Forces become more effective/interoperable and European citizens and taxpayers get better value for money.

To facilitate such cooperation and initiate and manage cooperative projects between willing Member States is the bread and butter of the European Defence Agency (EDA). Since its creation in 2004, the Agency has become THE ‘hub’ for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks that are second to none. Experience clearly shows that if Member States have the political will to seriously engage in cooperation, the EDA is able to deliver.

Today, at a time when the EU’s institutional lines between internal and external security are becoming increasingly blurred, it is worth recalling that Member States have always, since the beginning, considered the EDA to be their main tool and vehicle for advancing defence cooperation, since it is in EDA where they, the national governments, decide what the capability priorities are and how to manage them. The support that the European Commission is willing to provide through the recently adopted European Defence Action Plan (EDAP) is most welcome in this respect.

Defence cooperation is needed urgently. We cannot afford to allow this important issue to be dragged into political or institutional debates that do not strictly focus on our common goal: making European defence stronger. To achieve that, Europe needs to make the best out of the tools it has and the EDA is certainly among them.

The European Union is at a crossroads. Visionary decisions and ambitious actions are needed to keep the European project alive and thriving.

(*) La Tribune (France), La Repubblica (Italy), Le Soir (Belgium), La Vanguardia (Spain), Der Standard (Austria), Dagens Nyheter (Sweden), De Volkskrant (Netherlands), Diario das noticias (Portugal), Rzeczypospolita (Poland), Times of Malta, Euractiv (several languages), Bruxelles2 

(**) Munich Security Report 2017

• French
• German
• Spanish
• Italian
• Swedish
• Polish
• Dutch
• Portuguese
  
  

2016 was a seminal moment for European defence and the European Defence Agency. A year that added a new sense of urgency and determination to European defence efforts. The Annual Report 2016 presents the main activities and achievements of the EDA across its full range of activities and projects. The report is free to access and is available for download here.

The Welcome Word by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq sets the scene on what was a defining year for the EDA. 

2016 was a seminal moment for European defence and a defining year for the European Defence Agency (EDA). The events that shaped 2016 added a new sense of urgency and determination to see Europe delivering on its potential in defence.  The time has gone when Europe’s achievements were judged in terms of what it agreed on paper. Henceforth the success or failure of European ambitions in defence will be judged exclusively on the basis of  action and implementation. Defence is now, and needs to remain, firmly on the European political agenda. 

Three major initiatives contributed to a momentous shift in European defence thinking in 2016. First, Federica Mogherini, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Head of the EDA, presented the  European Union Global Strategy (EUGS) in June, calling for the full use of the “Agency’s potential as an essential prerequisite for European security and defence efforts.” This was followed by the Implementation Plan on Security and Defence, which set out a new level of ambition for the EU in defence. Second, the European Commission adopted the European Defence Action Plan, paving the way for a substantive European Defence Fund. Thirdly, the EU-NATO Joint Declaration added new impetus and concrete substance to the EU-NATO strategic partnership. These defining actions of 2016 have opened a window of opportunity for Europe to achieve concrete results starting in 2017.

This means that the critical work on implementation has to begin now. And EDA, whose core tasks are to support capability development through European defence cooperation, increase cooperative efforts in research & technology, and strengthen the industrial and technological base of the European defence sector, will be fundamental. 
2016 put the spotlight on the added-value and expertise of the EDA. The four key capability programmes welcomed by the European Council in 2013 have made significant progress over the last 12 months. The contracts for a Definition Study of the European MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) and for Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) were both signed in the summer. Cyber security poses ever-changing challenges that require a cross-sectoral approach to developing effective cyber defence capabilities. In 2016, EDA continued to facilitate efforts in education, training and exercise to enhance Europe’s cyber capability. Governmental Satellite Communications (GovSatCom) activities have also progressed well with studies to identify Member States’ requirements with a view to exploring a pooling solution of existing capabilities. The Agency’s work in support of operations and enhanced standardisation and certification continues to yield positive results. EDA remains ambitious about what can be achieved in these programmes in 2017, in terms of increasing the number of Member States involved, addressing the full life cycle of defence capabilities, and developing effective education, training, and exercise initiatives. 

This Agency was also a driving force in 2016, breaking new ground in an area that up to a few years ago would have been deemed inconceivable: defence research funded by the EU. The EU’s Pilot Project on defence research, which marks the first time that the EU budget is used for defence research, is run and managed by the EDA on behalf of the European Commission. Its implementation is well advanced and the three contracts it foresees were signed in October. As a test bed for the conditions of defence research in an EU framework, it also paves the way for the next milestone on the road towards dedicated EU defence research: the launch of the so-called ‘Preparatory Action’ on CSDP-related research. 

A pivotal moment for the EDA, but 2017 will be equally crucial in demonstrating the added-value of EU-funded research in the defence sector. I believe that 2016 is defined by the fresh momentum behind European defence, but sustaining this momentum requires a strong partnership with industry. Europe’s strategic autonomy is dependent on a globally competitive, technologically advanced and innovative industrial base, that supports the development of the military capabilities Europe needs. This year EDA has identified sources of support for the defence industry, launched a process to earmark future activities and concrete initiatives in support of defence-related SMEs, and has started to reorient is engagement with industry to better reflect the evolving defence industrial environment. 

The growing interest of the European Commission in defence issues puts a premium on ensuring that the Agency plays its role to the full as the interface between Member States and the Commission. It has already done this successfully, be it in terms of the Pilot Project and the Preparatory Action on defence research, or EU legislation that has implications for defence, such as REACH, related to hazardous chemicals which may have a direct impact on the operational effectiveness of the armed forces as well as the competiveness of the European defence industry. Equally, the establishment of the EDA Single European Sky (SES) Military Aviation Board,  a milestone that will form the basis for EDA’s work on relevant military aspects of SES, underscores the pivotal role of this Agency.  

EDA is an outward looking agency that puts a premium on enhancing cooperation with other institutions and bodies to consolidate cooperation and optimise our overall impact. Its relationship with NATO, based on substantive dialogue at all levels, is ensuring mutually-reinforcing capability development. The Administrative Arrangements with both OCCAR and European Space Agency (ESA) have greatly improved synergies across programmes this year. In 2016, the EDA signed new agreements with SESAR JU, EUROCONTROL, and the European Union Satellite Centre (SATCEN). 

The next twelve months will have a transformational impact on European defence. EDA will be at the heart of it. Each year, this Agency grows its expertise and track record of delivery: 2016 was no different. The EDA has now passed the 185 mark in terms of projects facilitated and managed since its inception, representing almost €1 billion in R&T investment by the contributing Member States. In 2017 this Agency will continue to work in support of our Member States and strive to reinforce the European industrial and technological defence base.  The launch of the EDA Long Term Review at the end of 2016 aims to set out the long-term objectives, priorities and way of working for this Agency as we move into the future and carry forward the implementation of the EUGS.

2016 has elevated European defence to a new level and set out an ambitious vision for the future. This Agency will work with even greater determination and will deploy its full range of expertise so that successful implementation will be the defining characteristic of the year ahead. I hope that 2017 will witness an even greater evolution in European defence cooperation. 

Jorge Domecq, EDA Chief Executive 
 

• EDA Annual Report 2016 

Geographic Information to Support decision Making in Operations (GISMO) is a cooperative project between the European Defence Agency and the European Satellite Centre and  involves the European Military Staff, the Multinational Geospatial Support Group and Member States. The main output from the project is a geospatial information management capability called GeohuB.   GeohuB was first demonstrated in 2016 and has now been successfully implemented at the Operational Headquarter (OHQ) in Rome in support of the EUNAVFOR MED Operation SOPHIA.

The availability of Geospatial Information (GI) is a key requirement to ensure effective planning, conduct of operations and support to decision-making. The GISMO project, initiated jointly by EDA and EU SATCEN, is addressing this requirement.  The GeohuB tool was initially deployed in a standalone capacity in the EUNAVFOR MED Operation SOPHIA Operational Headquarters in Rome. Early in 2017 the tool was successfully installed into the Operation Sophia Classified Mission Network.  

In February 2017 a Training and Operational Field Trial (OFT) was conducted within the OHQ with the objective of assessing the maturity and the operational value of the GeohuB tool and associated GI management capability.  The availability to all staff of geographic-based information was easily accessible through web services in the Classified Mission Network.  Such GI access enables improved shared situational awareness and to inform the decision making process within the OHQ.

The intuitive and user friendly access to the GI provided by the GISMO GeohuB facilitated the access to shared information by both expert and non-expert GI users in the OHQ. CJ2 and JOC products were produced using the GeohuB during the OFT, with higher value for the CJ Staff.   Looking to the future, based on this successful OFT and associated training, the project will now transition the GeohuB to a Fielded Initial Operating Capability with the long term objective being to provide a Full Geographic Information System Capability within EU-led Missions and Operations.

More information:

• Communications and Information Systems (Project Page)
• Operations Support (Project Page)

• European Defence Agency supports CSDP operations

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq today (7 March) visited the World ATM Congress in Madrid where he had a range of bilateral meetings with aviation leaders. He also participated in a panel discussion organised at the joint SESAR stand.

On the first day of the World ATM Congress,  EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq spoke about the importance of recognising the military as a credible and reliable partner for excellence in global aviation. During the opening panel discussion at the joint SESAR stand, Mr. Domecq underscored the significance of the current global context and its relationship with global aviation. Mr. Domecq said  “given the evolving security challenges facing Europe, it is crucial for security and defence that any development in air traffic modernisation takes military requirements fully into account, in order to avoid any adverse impact on national and collective defence capabilities.”

EDA Chief Executive was joined in the panel debate, titled “Setting the scene: partnering for excellence in global aviation”, by representatives from SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU), SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM) EUROCAE, EUROCONTROL and EASA. In his panel intervention, Mr Domecq pointed to the concrete work that the EDA carries out in the aviation field. “On Single European Sky we are proud to support our Member States, acting as interface with EU institutions and facilitating the coordination of military views. Some concrete examples: we supported the military input into the European Master Plan Campaign Edition 2015 and the update of the SESAR Deployment Programme 2016. We are also actively engaged in the process for the 2017 Programme which has started in the meantime.”

Mr. Domecq closed his remarks by underlining the importance of the Military Aviation Strategy, which EDA has facilitated and reflects the shared view on military aviation as an integral part of air traffic in Europe for the coming decades. “The implementation of the Military Aviation Strategy, closely coordinated with NATO, will contribute to ensure that the military are recognised as credible and reliable partners for excellence in global aviation.”

EDA @ World ATM Congress 2017

During the World ATM Congress 2017 the SESAR stand and theatre will feature a wide variety of sessions, which will illustrate how SESAR works with ATM partners. “Partnering for excellence in global aviation” is the theme of the activities taking place at the stand over the three day event. 

EDA experts will be taking part in many of the sessions organised at the SESAR stand, as well as presenting the work of EDA in SESAR and engaging with stakeholders.

EDA is collaborating with the project hosts SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM). Other European representatives from the European Commission, European Aviation Safety Agency Network Manager, and EUROCAE, make up the joint SESAR representation at the World ATM Congress. 

The full schedule of activities at the SESAR stand is available on the SESAR Joint Undertaking website. More on EDA’s activities at World ATM Congress can be found on EDA’s Twitter account or by using #SESAR.

More information:

• Meet the EDA team! Partnering for excellence in global aviation at the World ATM Congress (SESAR Stand 889)
• Jorge Domecq outlines the importance of the military in SES/SESAR ahead of World ATM Congress 2017
• EDA SESAR Project Page
• The Military in SES/SESAR (Brochure)
• EDA and SESAR JU sign Memorandum of Cooperation (EDA news 19 December 2016)
• EUROCONTROL and the European Defence Agency consolidate their cooperation (EDA news 17 November 2016)
• Partners step up efforts to address the integration of drones into European airspace (EDA news 8 November 2016)

The EDA will send a team of experts to the World ATM Congress, the world’s largest air traffic management event, taking place 7-9 March in Madrid. EDA’s team will be presenting the work of the Agency at SESAR stand (889) and are looking forward to meeting you there.

During the World ATM Congress 2017 the SESAR stand and theatre will feature a wide variety of sessions, which will illustrate how SESAR works with ATM partners. “Partnering for excellence in global aviation” is the theme of the activities taking place at the stand over the three day event. 

EDA is collaborating with the project hosts SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM). Other European representatives from the European Commission, European Aviation Safety Agency Network Manager, and EUROCAE, make up the joint SESAR representation at the World ATM Congress. 

The EDA experts will be taking part in many of the sessions organised at the SESAR stand, as well as presenting the work of the EDA in SESAR and engaging with stakeholders. EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq will speak at the first panel discussion; “Setting the scene: partnering for excellence in global aviation.” 

The full schedule of activities at the SESAR stand is available on the SESAR Joint Undertaking website. More on EDA’s activities at World ATM Congress can be found on EDA’s Twitter account or by using #SESAR. 

In the lead up to this event, EDA has launched an updated brochure on its activities in this domain; “The Military in SES/SESAR”, which outlines EDA’s activities, priorities and partnerships in SES/SESAR.
 

Our experts will be on stand 889 throughout the congress, so pass by and find out more about the EDA and its work on SES/SESAR!

• Maria MAS RUEDA, Head of SES/SESAR Unit
• Denis BOUVIER, Project Officer SES/SESAR
• Jos LAARHOVEN, Project Officer SES/SESAR
• Ian DRYDEN, Project Officer SES/SESAR
• Sven HAVES, Project Officer SES/SESAR 

• EDA SESAR Project Page
• The Military in SES/SESAR (Brochure)
• EDA and SESAR JU sign Memorandum of Cooperation (EDA news 19 December 2016)
• EUROCONTROL and the European Defence Agency consolidate their cooperation (EDA news 17 November 2016)
• Partners step up efforts to address the integration of drones into European airspace (EDA news 8 November 2016)

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has just completed a project aimed at increasing the accuracy of artillery systems used by Member States’ Armed Forces.

The Course Correction Fuze (CCF) project was initiated in 2012 within EDA’s Smart Munition Working Group (SMWG) with the objective to develop common technical knowledge on cost-effective and affordable solutions for reducing ballistic dispersion and enhancing the accuracy of Member States’ artillery rounds, by introducing a new type of fuze. Subject experts from EDA Member States (Belgium, Poland, Sweden, UK) as well as Norway (which has signed an Administrative Arrangement with the EDA) looked into the subject and came up with a Common European Requirements document for CCF which was agreed and distributed to participating Member States’ capability and armaments authorities in late 2016. Moreover, it was also recognized that there is a need to have a harmonized approach to the challenge of integrating and Test & Evaluating CCF into existing and future artillery systems in order to generate costs savings.

In this way a dedicated investigation on CCF integration with Artillery Systems in EU was developed during 2016 and successfully delivered in early 2017. This investigation was divided in three different phases:

• Phase 1 was mainly devoted to the collection of information on available CCF solutions, artillery systems and ammunition in the EU. Five of the identified CCF solutions were selected, some of which use airbrakes to reduce the down range dispersion while others use fixed or movable canards that reduce both down range and cross range dispersion;
• Phase 2 consisted of an analysis of those five CCF solutions and their integration into both the artillery systems and the ammunition used by the participating Member States. As there exist many different artillery systems in Europe, in order to be able to integrate the selected CCFs into all those systems, the artillery systems were divided into three categories: CAT I – Manual; CAT II – Semi-Auto loading & Gun laying; and CAT III – Auto Loading and Gun laying;
• Phase 3 of the project focused on developing conclusions and recommendations in view of identifying future opportunities for cooperation among participating Member States.

One of the main conclusions is that there are many opportunities for cooperation and pooling & sharing despite the fragmented picture of artillery systems used by European Armed Forces. Several countries use the same type of artillery system and, therefore, can easily share and follow the same CCF integration steps. But opportunities for collaboration even exist for countries using different systems for which at least some synergies can be found in terms of similar subsystem characteristics such as calibre, fire-control software or ammunition types. In a broader perspective, the joint development of ballistic calculation software and fuze setter standards and the definition of interfaces and data protocols for CCFs were also recommended to achieve an efficient integration in artillery systems. Specific work strands were identified and an action plan has been proposed.

It also became clear that the (currently ongoing) review of the Capability Development Plan (CDP) should take into account future CCF integration into artillery systems.

• Course Correction Fuze (CCF) Project_Factsheet

Exercise FIRE BLADE 2017 will be hosted by Hungary at Pápa Airbase and takes place from the 1st to the 12th of May. 17 air assets and 450 personnel are expected to take part in this live fire focused training exercise.  

FIRE BLADE 2017 (FB17) marks the 11th helicopter exercise under the umbrella of the Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP). The HEP is one of the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) helicopter training projects and programmes. It is the first time that Hungary will host a HEP event, thus becoming the 7th member state to do so. 

In excess of 450 personnel are due to take part in this exercise programme. A total of 17 air assets from 5 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia) are expected to take part. In addition, observers from Italy and Czech Republic are foreseen. FB17 will deliver tactical training, over a 12 day intensive programme, offering participants an unique opportunity to plan and execute missions within a joint combined framework. FB17 will be designed to allow European helicopter crews to train, adopting joint procedures while operating in a challenging scenario.

Today at the EDA in Brussels the Final Coordination Conference for FB17 took place. Following on from the Main Planning Conference which was held last October in Hungary, today’s conference put the final preparations in place ahead of the beginning of FB17 on May 1st. Tom Bennington, Head of Education, Training & Exercise Unit at EDA commented, “the exercise gives a good opportunity to train in a realistic operational setting. Specifically we will be working with Special Forces, and will be focusing on live weapons firing using the Composite Air Operations Concept, effectively operating the helicopters with fast jets and ground assets [e.g. surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems]”.

At the event, on behalf of the host nation Hungary, Lieutenant colonel Péter Simon of the Hungarian Air Force and Commander of the Air Task Force for exercise FB17 said, “as per previous Blade exercises, FB17 will have its own training subjects, in this case live firing. Hungary is an excellent location for live fire exercises due to diversity and quality of ranges available to visiting European crews”.    

The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability at a tactical level between helicopter units by using the COMAO concept in a combined, joint, realistic and challenging environment and to teach and learn helicopter Techniques, Tactics and Procedures (TTPs). During FB17 the units will fly a diverse set of day and night training missions, with a focus on live firing operations. FB17 is a real-world example of what can be achieved through European defence cooperation.  

Further updates on FB17 can also be found on Twitter using  #FIREBLADE2017.  
 

• Helicopter Initiatives (EDA project page)
• Pictures from Exercise BLACK BLADE 2016
• Fact Sheet Exercise BLACK BLADE 2016

On 28 February, Spain joined the EU SatCom Market becoming the 22nd member of this EDA initiative launched in 2009 to provide flexible commercial satellite communication solutions for contributing members. Spain is already the second new member in 2017 given that Estonia also joined on 24 January.

The EU SatCom Market project has been benefitting from an increased interest over the past twelve months with no less than ten new members having joined.

Commercial satellite communications are used by all nations to provide extra capacity on top of their own military and governmental satellite communications. The EU SatCom Market project provides a flexible and cost-effective way of doing this, offering its members’ a pay-per-use solution without imposing any binding financial commitments beyond services ordered.

Within the EU SatCom Market project, the EDA acts as the central purchasing body on behalf of the contributing members and the current Framework Contract was signed in January 2016 with Airbus Defence and Space as the services provider.

The current 22 contributing members are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Portugal, Romania, the United Kingdom, Spain, Serbia, the Athena Mechanism and the civilian missions EUCAP SAHEL Niger, EUCAP SAHEL Mali, EUAM Ukraine, EUCAP NESTOR and EUMM Georgia.

• EU SatCom Market project page
• EU SatCom Market factsheet
• EDA and CSDP civilian missions develop cooperation (EDA news June 2016)

The approach of the world’s largest air traffic management event (World ATM Congress, 7-9 March, Madrid) has placed one of the largest air traffic users, the military, in focus. With more than 11,000 military aircraft stationed in Europe, state air forces represent the biggest fleet operators and airport owners in Europe. Ahead of EDA’s participation at WAC 2017 (SESAR stand 889), EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq writes that the military represents a key and credible partner in SES/SESAR.

In the context of increased regional and global instability and given the evolving security challenges facing Europe, it is crucial for security and defence that any development in air traffic modernisation takes military requirements fully into account, in order to avoid any adverse impact on national and collective defence capabilities.

The implementation of the European Global Strategy (EUGS), the European Defence Action Plan (EDAP) and the EU/NATO Joint Declaration, offer a window of opportunity to address and contribute to strengthening European Security and Defence. Military aviation is a key part of this. The EDA facilitates the coordination of military views related to the challenges of SES facing Military Aviation and acts as an interface between the military community and the European Commission. In doing so, EDA ensures coherence and complementarity across the military community through staff-to-staff coordination with NATO and EUROCONTROL, while actively developing its cooperation with key civil stakeholders. 

The Aviation Strategy for Europe defined by the European Commission and the revision of the EASA Basic Regulation provide opportunities for early involvement of the military.

Military aviation significantly contributes to ensuring the required secure environment in Europe. It is crucial for security and defence that any development in air traffic modernization takes military requirements fully into account, in order to avoid any adverse impact on national and collective defence capabilities. The changes brought about by technological solutions in terms of procedures, regulations, equipment and organisation need to be considered at the earliest possible stage and on the basis of a systemic approach, by relevant military organisations.

The Military Aviation Strategy in the context of Single European Sky reflects the shared view on military aviation as an integral part of the air traffic in Europe for the coming decades.

It establishes the strategic vision that European aviation will incorporate the security and defence dimension at a level that will ensure that Military Aviation continues to provide and further improve, effective security and defence in Europe in the changing context of the civil aviation sector, without prejudice to the safety of civil air traffic.

It includes fundamental principles related to safety, civil-military coordination and cooperation across the military community, as well as strategic objectives on security and defence, access to airspace and use of air navigation services, confidentiality, cyber security, and interoperability.

In supporting its implementation, the European Defence Agency contributes to ensuring that the military are recognised as credible and reliable partners for excellence in global aviation.

Jorge Domecq (EDA Chief Executive)
 

The World ATM Congress, the world’s largest air traffic management event, will take place 7-9 in Madrid. The Congress, now in its fifth year, gathers representatives from every segment within aviation to exchange knowledge about the latest air traffic management trends. This year EDA will be there as part of the SESAR stand (889) to represent the military aspects of SES/SESAR.   

“Partnering for excellence in global aviation” is the theme of the activities taking place at the SESAR stand. EDA is collaborating with the project hosts SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM). Other European representatives from the European Commission, European Aviation Safety Agency Network Manager,and EUROCAE, make up the joint SESAR representation at the World ATM Congress. 

Our experts will be on the stand throughout the congress, so pass by and find out more about the EDA and its work on SES/SESAR.
 

• EDA SESAR Project Page
• The Military in SES/SESAR (Brochure)
• EDA and SESAR JU sign Memorandum of Cooperation (EDA news 19 December 2016)
• EUROCONTROL and the European Defence Agency consolidate their cooperation (EDA news 17 November 2016)
• Partners step up efforts to address the integration of drones into European airspace (EDA news 8 November 2016)

Pictured (from left to right): Rudolf Maus (NSPA Director of Logistics Operartions), Tim Rowntree (departing OCCAR Director); Arturo Meiriño (new OCCAR Director), Rini Goos (EDA Deputy Chief Executive)

Rini Goos, the EDA’s Deputy Chief Executive, today attended the farewell event organised in Bonn by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) for its departing Director, Tim Rowntree.

In his speech, Mr Goos thanked Mr Rowntree for the good cooperation with the European Defence Agency and praised him as a person “who served defence cooperation in Europe with excessive commitment”. EDA’s close cooperation with OCCAR started immediately after the creation of the Agency in 2004, leading to the Administrative Arrangement (AA) signed in 2012 and then to the Interface Document concluded in 2013.

Thanks to Mr Rowntree’s efforts and his close and pragmatic cooperation with EDA at different levels, those agreements have been implemented with success and already led to concrete outcomes such as the MMF programme, MALE RPAS, the smooth interaction in other projects of common interest (such as MMCM and MUSIS), cooperation in areas where EDA and OCCAR can benefit from each other’s expertise (for instance Security of Supply or REACH) as well as the revision of the Interface Document of 2015 which led to a more detailed and descriptive guide to ensure mutual cooperation benefits for the EDA and OCCAR, Mr Goos stated. “The key success factor for this remarkable progress was Mr Rowntree’s results oriented approach which fully fits to the Agency’s way of work”, he stressed.

The EDA Chief Executive said he was fully confident that Mr Rowntree’s successor, Arturo Alfonso-Meiriño, will pursue the good cooperation with the EDA and work successfully on the challenges to come. He wished Mr Alfonso-Meiriño good luck and great success. “The EDA looks forward to working with you to achieve our common objectives”, Mr Goos concluded.

• EDA and OCCAR strengthen cooperation (webnews, December 2015)
• OCCAR website

EDA Deputy Chief Executive, Rini Goos, addressed the NATO Parliamentary Assembly during is meeting in Brussels on February 19th. Mr. Goos spoke on the importance of strengthening Europe and North America's defence industrial base and what role the EDA plays. 

Addressing over 100  parliamentarians from NATO member countries, Mr. Goos underscored the importance of a strong industrial base as “key for innovation, key for developing and maintaining our defence equipment, it is in short an indispensable enabler to having the right capabilities we need in response to current and future security and defence needs”.

The joint meetings of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Defence and Security Committee, Political Committee, and Economics and Security Committee offered an opportunity for NATO and EU officials to discuss key security issues. Addressing the assembly, Mr. Goos pointed to the current role of the EDA in strengthening capabilities by underpinning the industrial base, “EDA is not only working with its Member States on an Overarching Research Agenda that should provide coherence between capability pull and technology push and identify priority technology building blocks. It also works on the identification of so called Key Strategic Activities which would support European strategic autonomy”.

• NATO and EU: Complementarity and collaboration in capability development

Andreja Katič, the Defence Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, today paid her first visit to the European Defence Agency where she was welcomed by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.

A wide range of topics related to European defence cooperation were discussed, including the implementation of the EU Global Strategy, the Commission’s recently adopted European Defence Action Plan and the implementation of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration.

Slovenia’s role and participation in EDA projects were also discussed at length during the Minister’s visit. Mrs Katič was presented with detailed updates on a range of ongoing projects in which Slovenia is actively involved such as the Multinational Modular Medical Unit (M3U) or the Collaborative Database (CODABA). The Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), which Slovenia is expected to join soon, the project on Diplomatic Clearances as well as other ongoing EDA programmes and projects were also raised.

EDA Chief Jorge Domecq thanked Minister Katič for her visit and Slovenia’s involvement in the Agency’s activities, and he encouraged the country to get involved even more in the future. “The Agency serves Member States of all sizes equally”, he stressed. “EDA services and activities may even primarily benefit Member States of smaller size by providing them with defence capabilities they need and by generating savings as well as cost-efficiency in defence spending”.

Minister Katič also signed the project agreement on Slovenia’s participation in the EDA transport hub project. The project, which was launched in December 2014, is designed to enhance and ease the military deployment, movement and transportation capabilities of the contributing Member States. The ultimate objective is to develop a European Multimodal Transport Hub Network which can serve both CSDP missions and other Member States’ purposes (day to day business and exercises) through harmonised regulations, procedures and processes as well as pooling and sharing of movement and transport assets and infrastructure in Europe.

EDA has launched a new Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE), Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) Training Technology Demonstrator (TTD) project to provide up to nine networked procedural  trainers to the European MALE RPAS Community.1

The MALE RPAS Community came into being on 19 November 2014 under a Letter of Intent and looks to facilitate  information sharing and cooperation in this important domain.   The Community looks to share operational experience and, where possible, to pool and share maintenance of similar assets, logistics, training, doctrine, concepts and procedures.  Early work looked to harmonize training syllabi between the European RPAS Schools and to complete joint studies on vulnerability and countering UAS swarms.

In early 2016, it was decided to further enhance training cooperation and EDA was tasked to develop a proposal to improve communication and to facilitate joint exercises.  In close cooperation with the European Air Group (EAG) and the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) who were also active in this area. Consequently, a joint programmer was formed to deliver hardware simulators (EDA), improved harmonization and interoperability (EAG) and realistic operational scenarios (EUMS) for MALE RPAS to underpin the Community’s work.

The Agency signed a contract with DCI and DIGINEXT of France to design and build the systems over 2017/18, which will enable collaborative tactical development and harmonization of training across the Community.  The project represents a step change in improved interoperability in this increasingly important air domain and the work will be carried out in close cooperation with the EAG and EUMS with view to launching the first RPAS specific exercise in late 2018.

_____________

The World ATM Congress, the world’s largest air traffic management event, will take place 7-9 in Madrid. The Congress, now in its fifth year, gathers representatives from every segment within aviation to exchange knowledge about the latest air traffic management trends. This year EDA will be there as part of the SESAR stand (889) to represent the military aspects of SES/SESAR.   

The implications for the military of the Single European Sky (SES) initiative and its technological pillar, the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) programme, are considerable. One of the principle tasks that Member States have given to the EDA in this field is to connect the military with each other and the European Institutions, and to develop ways to engage Europe’s military in the SES initiative. 

“Partnering for excellence in global aviation” is the theme of the activities taking place at the SESAR stand. EDA is collaborating with the project hosts SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM). Other European representatives from the European Commission, European Aviation Safety Agency Network Manager,and EUROCAE, make up the joint SESAR representation at the World ATM Congress. 

In the lead up to this event, EDA has launched an updated brochure on its activities in this domain; “The Military in SES/SESAR”, which outlines EDA’s activities, priorities and partnerships in SES/SESAR. 

Our experts will be on the stand throughout the congress, so pass by and find out more about the EDA and its work on SES/SESAR.  

• EDA SESAR Project Page
• The Military in SES/SESAR (Brochure)
• EDA and SESAR JU sign Memorandum of Cooperation (EDA news 19 December 2016)
• EUROCONTROL and the European Defence Agency consolidate their cooperation (EDA news 17 November 2016)
• Partners step up efforts to address the integration of drones into European airspace (EDA news 8 November 2016)

Chief Executive Jorge Domecq today welcomed at the EDA premises the EU Military Committee (EUMC) led by its chairman, General Mikhail Kostarakos.

The meeting mainly focused on two substantive topics: the overall EU Capability Development Process and the Capability Development Plan (CDP) review foreseen for 2018.

Last November, Defence Ministers agreed to review the CDP in order to improve the capability development process by taking into account R&T and industrial aspects, and tasked the EDA to present a new set of EU priorities for military capability development for Steering Board adoption by spring 2018.

The CDP serves as a reference for national capability planning by informing Member States about capability requirements over time, identifying areas for capability improvements and translating capability priorities into concrete collaborative programmes.

• EUMC website
• General Kostarakos (CV)