EDA News

The European Defence Agency has decided to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals following the Agency's call for proposals for the Pilot Project on defence research from 20 May to 23 June 2016.

Interested parties are invited to consult the revised Project Call Text (dated 13/05/2015) which contains the revised schedules.

Requests for additional information and/or clarification can be made in writing only at the following e-mail address: Grant@eda.europa.eu

 

Twenty-three experts from nine countries have recently gathered in Bern, Switzerland, for the fourth edition of the Ammunition Safety Workshop organised by the European Defence Agency (EDA).

The primary objective of the event, which took place at the Armasuisse Test Centre in Thun, was to give Ammunition safety experts the floor to discuss results from a European ammunition safety test (Round Robin Test) and to provide an overview of the military test centre capabilities.

Thanks to the fruitful expert discussions at the laboratories and test ranges, the workshop delivered tangible results to participants and contributed to the further harmonisation of ammunition safety test procedures. Furthermore, even the first test results of the Round Robin test demonstrated the importance of EU T&E networking, since all tests could only be performed in a collaborative approach.

 

More information

• European Network of National Safety Authorities for Ammunition (ENNSA)
• Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB)

Jorge Domecq, EDA’s Chief Executive, was in Bratislava on 10 and 11 May for talks with the Slovak Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Ivan Máčovský, as well as other senior officials in the MoD and the Armed Forces. Mr. Domecq also participated in a meeting of the National Armament Directors of the Visegard Group, attended the International Defence Exposition Bratislava (IDEB) and met with industry representatives.

Discussions with the Minister of Defence mainly focused on the upcoming Slovak Presidency of the European Union, Slovakia’s current and potential future contributions to EDA projects and programmes, the general state of play in European defence cooperation as well as several upcoming important defence-related milestones: the publication of the new EU Global Strategy in June, the Warsaw NATO summit in July and the European Commission’s Defence Action Plan expected to be presented by the end of this year. „Slovakia is currently considering its participation in some of the projects organised by EDA. We are evaluating available information and the possibility of our future involvement,” said Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic Peter Gajdoš.

Mr. Domecq ensured Minister Gajdoš of the Agency’s support to any defence related events organised in the framework of the Slovak Presidency. Potential topics for seminars discussed were cyber defence and access to EU funding for dual-use R&T projects. Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic Peter Gajdoš also informed Mr. Domecq about the preparations that Slovakia is currently undertaking and about the events it is organising during the Slovak Presidency.

The meeting of the National Armament Directors of the Visegard Group mainly included discussions of a Multinational Training Centre, Security of Supply and airworthiness. Based on an EDA analysis through the Agency’s Collaborative Database (CODABA), the Group also engaged in in an exchange of views on opportunities for cooperative capability initiatives. National Armament Directors received a presentation of a study on the Central and Eastern European (CEE) Member States by the EDA.

Mr. Domecq attended the opening of the IDEB which was followed by discussions with representatives of Slovak and Czech industry representatives. 

More information

• News "EDA Chief Executive visited Poland" (28 April 2016)

Since the creation of the European Defence Agency in 2004, support to the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and to EU operations has been one of EDA's core missions. Several activities are now ongoing to develop the support of CSDP military and civilian operations or missions as well as EU Battlegroups at the request of Member States. 2016.

Typically, CSDP operations and missions are deployed on short notice to manage crisis in remote areas. In some cases, shortfalls on assets and equipment arising from the force generation have led to outsourcing some key services. This has been the case for camp management services for several CSDP missions and operations2016.

In order to better understand the range of commercially available solutions which could fulfil possible future requirements for camp management services and associated risks or limitations, EDA is conducting a market survey. It has to be highlighted that the objective of this survey is to identify service providers of ‘turnkey’ solutions and not manufacturers of assets or supply providers.

Operators are kindly invited to participate in the survey by submitting their answer by 15 June 2016.

More information:

• Market Survey for Camp Management Services
• Support to Operations project page

The following article is part of a comprehensive dossier focused on new trends related to European defence innovation and R&T which appeared in the 10th edition of European Defence Matters, the EDA’s official magazine, which is available now.

European Defence Matters, Magazine issue 10

In times of ever faster technological change and constant emergence of new innovation and business models, the European defence sector has to adapt quickly if it wants to remain relevant.

In 2016, more than ever, Europe needs to respond to short and longer-term security challenges both on its territory and beyond. The forthcoming EU Global Strategy will inevitably consider those developments, setting out European interests. Notably, for Europe’s security and defence sector this means preparing for an age of relative uncertainty that is prone to strategic surprises: at the level of threats that have become increasingly diverse, hybrid and versatile; and at the level of emerging technologies that, beyond inducing new vulnerabilities, may well require the defence sector to adapt to changing innovation patterns, new mind-sets and corporate cultures.

In this strategic context, an innovative and competitive European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) is a strategic asset that supports the implementation of a credible and effective EU Global Strategy. “The industrial and technological dimension is not a mere enabler, it is at the core of any security and defence-related capability”, says Jorge Domecq, the Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA). This is why the so-called ‘Key Strategic Activities‘, be they specific technologies, skills or industrial manufacturing capabilities, will also have to be supported at the EU level if Europe wants to retain the necessary freedom of action, be interoperable with key Allies, and participate in global standard setting.

As early as 2003, the Thessaloniki European Council underlined that the EDA was to aim at “promoting, in liaison with the Community’s research activities where appropriate, research aimed at leadership in strategic technologies for future defence and security capabilities, thereby strengthening Europe’s industrial potential in this domain.” Today, the question of how to achieve or safeguard leadership in strategic technologies is more pressing than ever. EDA has enabled close to € 700 million of investment in defence R&T projects, it has established synergies with the EU’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, and it has participated in the identification of critical defence technologies, key enabling technologies and space technologies for European non-dependence.

And there is more to come: the preparation of the forthcoming Preparatory Action for CSDP-related research and potential defence research programme that may follow within the next EU budgetary cycle may signal a paradigm shift. EDA is playing its part by shaping the content, setting priorities and preparing for the implementation of future defence-related research at the EU level. The European Defence Action Plan announced by the European Commission for the end of 2016 provides a further opportunity to reflect on how Europe will capture future innovation and drive leap-ahead technologies rather than be taken by surprise by disruptive technologies emerging elsewhere.

Changing innovation patterns?

For Europe to successfully spearhead innovation, it has to deal with at least four accelerating trends: (i) global competition for the lead in technology; (ii) emerging knowledge domains and technology convergence; (iii) increasingly faster innovation loops; and (iv) the growing importance of private investment in support of innovation. Each of these factors taken alone may hardly seem revolutionary, yet any combination and convergence of them in a fast-paced environment may prove to be so. The defence industrial and technological base is indeed part of a wider industrial and technological ‘ecosystem’ that is about to change dramatically, and this may lead to the disruption and far-reaching adaptation of public policy and traditional business models and practices. What has been qualified as a possible ‘third industrial revolution‘ by 2030 is characterised by an ever-accelerating speed of technological change and the ‘digitalisation of world markets’. The mastery, application and development of digital technologies and big data management will be a key ingredient of economic and industrial competitiveness. Already today US digital exports are estimated at € 500 billion a year, and Europe is the main customer. 4% of US GDP is estimated to be related to the Internet and associated business opportunities. Global revenues related to the ‘Internet of things‘ (big data and data-mining, cloud computing and super computers) are estimated in the order of USD 14 trillion between 2013 to 2022. ICT technology in particular will help to catalyse innovative applications in the area of human/machines, human/human and machine/machine interfaces, in addition to the expected convergence of bio-, nano-, and information technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence, materials and energy over the 2025-2050 time horizon.

New players are emerging

Based on such convergence, disruptive applications are expected to emerge from highly innovative start-ups and fast growing players that are modelled on today’s success of the so-called ‘GAFA‘ (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon…). These players will share important characteristics. R&T spending levels will be high (20% and more of annual turnover). They will embrace a risk culture and have access to venture capital. They will focus on prototyping, test and experiment with ‘rapid prototyping‘, ‘lean start-up‘, ‘minimal viable products‘ and spiral development, all with reduced procurement cycles and manufacturing lead times. From Silicon Valley and ‘Silicon Wadi’ in Israel to Bangalore, “access to finance, R&D investment and flexible and fast development and production are the ingredients of ever-fiercer competition among global innovation centres”, stresses Mr Domecq. The innovation models and philosophy of those commercial companies and start-ups has little in common with a highly regulated sector such as defence, which is characterized by the need for reliable, robust and complex systems, long-development cycles, public funding and a focus on quality control through customer engagement in design, production and servicing.

Yet, it is with these emerging players that both governments and defence companies will have to interact to stay ahead. Beyond defence-specific R&T, there will be increasing spin-in from commercial technologies being developed by highly specialised SMEs or start-ups. Today, such companies may not even be thinking of interacting with the defence sector. Connected technologies will be among the most decisive factors in the development of security and defence-related technologies. “Robotics, automation, supercomputing, synthetic biology, data analytics and deep learning will play a growing role”, according to Michael Simm, EDA Project Officer. Private actors will bear important responsibilities as to cyber security. This also implies a new way of looking at how drones and robots are networked with the increased integration among human and technological factors. Keeping a highly competitive defence industrial base with highly skilled workers will be all the more crucial if innovation is to translate into cutting-edge defence capabilities.

“The key challenge for defence will therefore be to find a modus vivendi with this ‘new economy‘, and to effectively integrate future innovations into defence development and production cycles”, Mr Simm states. It will be key for the defence sector to: (i) gain awareness of emerging leap-ahead technologies; (ii) effectively get access to non-traditional sources of innovation; and (iii) ensure the reliability of trusted supply chains. Overall, the challenge is for governments to be able to counter threats and increase society’s resilience while ensuring that the defence technological and industrial base remains a smart integrator of highly innovative products and technologies.

A matter of resources and prioritisation…

Innovation does not come for free. The sharp drop in defence-related R&T in recent years puts Europe’s standing at risk: the investment ratios in certain key domains such as electronic components being about 1:15 when compared to the US clearly endanger Europe’s status as a ‘smart follower‘. More investment, more cooperative investment and clear prioritisation in resource allocation are clear answers to that trend. Yet, more than today, an emphasis will also need to be put on ‘whole-of-government approaches‘ and cross-sectorial technological and industrial strategies that strike the right balance and allow for a mutually beneficial relation between the defence and the civilian dimension.

Some of the more recently published national defence-related strategy documents indicate a growing awareness and provide inspiration regarding the need for increased foresight activities and refined analysis of innovation cycles; the need to craft industrial policies that are supporting key areas of security of supply with regard to industrial manufacturing capabilities, skills and critical technologies; or the need to launch defence-related innovation initiatives. As the UK Strategic Defence & Security Review (2015) recognises:

“… to secure operational advantage and control our costs into the future, we need to recognise and respond quickly to transformative ideas and technologies. These will come from outside the traditional national security field, […] we must find, listen to and work effectively with new partners. We must test unconventional ideas rigorously against traditional ones, and be prepared to take risks […] we do not have all the answers, but continuing with our traditional mindset will not work”.

In the case of the UK, this assessment is supported by the creation of a national cross-government Emerging Technology and Innovation Analysis Cell and the establishment of a defence and security accelerator for government to help the private sector turn ideas into innovative equipment and services for national security users.

Inn a similar fashion, the US Third Offset Strategy recognises that many of the technologies that are potential game changers are no longer in the domain of DoD development pipelines or traditional defence contractors. Indeed, the DoD risks no longer having exclusive access to neither the most cutting-edge technologies nor the ability to control the development of them. This insight has led US officials to seek proposals from the private sector, including from firms and academic institutions outside the DoD’s traditional orbit. Robotics in particular is seen as an area where commercial investment outpaces military spending. The DoD’s ability to rapidly scout for and import commercial sector innovations and quickly develop new concepts of operation and doctrine is seen to be key. Numerous partnerships between the commercial sector and the US military, research and innovation centres, intelligence and law enforcement agencies exist to date. The creation of a permanent DoD office - called ‘Defence Innovation Unit X‘ - is part of this approach as is investment in promising technologies through a dedicated investment fund. Additionally, in March 2016 the US DoD announced the establishment of a Defense Innovation Advisory Board. The new board aims to enhance the DoD’s culture, organisation and processes by tapping innovators from the private sector. DoD will also further implement its ‘Better Buying Power Initiative‘ aiming, among others, at easing procurement procedures.

… but even more of changing mindsets

Yet innovation is not a mere matter of resources and stated policy objectives. It ultimately requires both the demand and supply side to have a capacity of early adoption of innovation.

As far as the demand side is concerned, the new environment may have an impact on acquisition choices and investment decisions and the defence customer will have to adapt to much higher innovation rates and to potentially shorter life-cycles for equipment. The new environment may increase the need for plug-and-play systems, be a strain on obsolescence management or even change the type and way of procuring defence-related equipment and services. Modular Open System Architectures (MOSA) could be utilised to enable rapid incorporation of innovative upgrades throughout system lifecycles. A stronger focus on prototyping and experimentation may be a corollary to this approach. “The fact that innovation will increasingly flow from the civil to the defence sector does not mean that the defence sector should refrain from heavily investing in exploration, testing, adapting and integrating relevant innovations”, insists Mr Domecq.

Prototyping and experimentation can allow the defence sector to keep pace with technology, to partner with industry and maintain critical industrial capabilities. Such efforts would help contextualise current capabilities in light of requirements and technical feasibility of future acquisition programmes. An innovative and adaptive approach may also impact on wider operational concepts, interoperability with partners and standard-setting. “Ultimately, MoDs will have to constantly adapt their in-house skills base and working practices in order to interface with the commercial sector”, explains Mr Simm. MoDs may also have to adapt procurement schemes (i.e. fast-track contracting vehicles), introduce more flexibility, shorten decision-making cycles and address certain perceived ‘costs‘ (i.e. administrative burdens and IPR regimes), which may dissuade high-tech commercial firms from engaging with the defence sector.

Regarding the supply side, the change may be less fundamental and rather signal an acceleration of a longer-term trend. For some time now, the most innovative components have been generated by SMEs. While traditional defence companies are likely to continue playing the role of intermediary towards governments, they will nevertheless increasingly rely on the ability to integrate technologies according to a non-linear open innovation model based on a combination of internal and external knowledge, iterative shorter innovation loops and adding reliability and resilience to commercial technologies. This will mean to increasingly monitor cross-domain technology development. The role of a firm’s internal ‘gatekeepers‘ or ‘boundary spanners‘ able to understand and adapt technological innovation will rise.

New partnerships, joint ventures

For example, with the aim of capitalizing on transformative technologies and business models in the high-tech sector, a big European Group has followed US defence industrial players in establishing a ‘Technology and Business Innovation Center’ in Silicon Valley. In parallel, the company has established a venture capital fund worth an initial US $ 150 million in order to invest in promising, disruptive and innovative businesses generated around the globe. More widely, cooperation with non-traditional industrial players may take the form of partnering with high-tech companies in the ICT sector, joint business incubators or joint ventures according to the ‘make, team or buy‘ paradigm. This may alter the very fabric of industry, leading to more complex supply chain management and, ultimately, requiring increased flexibility and fluid cooperation between primes, SMEs and entrepreneurs across sectors. At the same time, one may have to deal with some side-effects. Indeed, the defence industry could be facing additional pressures on prices and margins, unexpected forms of competition, plus a growing mismatch in skills.

Overall, both the demand and supply side, will have to develop a whole new risk culture: on the one hand, taking on more risk through a steady investment in expensive but potentially game-changing technologies; on the other hand, ensuring reliance on fully trusted and secure supply chains up in the context of a globalised and digitalised economy. It may imply changes to how one conceives of dual-use export (and import) control and the protection of sensitive technologies. The predominance of non-European and commercial software companies, clouds and cyber networks that are supposed to generate, manage and control big data may actually increase the vulnerability of European digital networks. The globalisation of R&T and commercial innovation is within the reach of players who can transform them into military relevant capabilities. This risk needs to be counterbalanced by capability development focused on resilience such as ‘rapid network recomposability’ technologies or ‘split fabrication’ (i.e. ICT building blocks that are designed, developed, manufactured in Europe). This is all the more important in the context of heightened hybrid threats, which may target the wider defence supply chain e.g. in terms of hostile takeovers (foreign investment), saturation of production capacities or second-round effect industrial sabotage (compromising single components or production processes).

Think big – act smart

Some of the aforementioned trends will develop, others may not. Yet, by failing to prepare for a potentially game-changing (r)evolution, one may well be preparing to fail. “When putting its Global Strategy into action, Europe requires a long-term vision and effective technological and industrial policy that supports its freedom of action”, underlines Mr Domecq. As with any other player in the world, Europe needs to acknowledge its industrial base as a strategic and economic asset alike, a cornerstone for safeguarding its influence and interests. This also means injecting the ‘whole-of-government‘ concept with real content, notably in support of guaranteed security of supply and autonomy in areas deemed critical. There is a need for systematic technology foresight, more dual-use innovation clusters and technology incubators and long-term spiral development programmes. As competition for and access to cutting-edge technologies will increasingly be done across globalised and non-defence specific supply chains, both the ‘E‘ (European) and the ‘D‘ (Defence) dimension of the EDTIB may increasingly vanish. “This raises an essential question: how does Europe want to ensure mastery over technologies that will be critical in the future? This is not a question of industrial competitiveness alone but of Europe remaining among the most capable defence players”, insists Mr Domecq.

EDA can contribute by raising awareness, being a platform for exchange and building concrete tools when it comes to identifying Key Strategic Activities to be supported by available European funding tools, supporting longer-term security of supply and European non-dependence. On-going work developed inside the EDA together with Member States on critical defence technologies, Technology Watch, strategic research agendas or key skills and competences contribute to this effort. The support provided to innovative dual-use SMEs in accessing European Structural and Investment Funds is a further key work strand. EDA can also further provide a platform for innovative industry to engage with defence stakeholders on concrete projects, to present ideas and to understand defence-specific requirements.

In order to move to the next level, however, Member States should also make systematic use of the programmatic, financial and policy instruments offered by the EU. These instruments can support defence research, identify key enabling technologies and support their testing & experimentation in view of potential uptake in defence products. The forthcoming European Defence Action Plan should make a strong plea for a credible defence-related research programme within the next Multiannual Financial Framework. This should be further supported by a wider European Defence Innovation Initiative that facilitates the scouting of emerging technologies for defence, increases interaction between the defence community and commercial communities and promotes innovative SMEs. One will also have to move towards a careful mapping of critical and cross-sector supply chains. Increasing the resilience and security of related key technological and industrial assets that are considered as genuinely critical infrastructure may also be required.

As the defence sector will have increasingly to interact with players, processes and innovation models outside the traditional remit of defence, it will be all the more important to mainstream the defence dimension across available industrial policy tools, be they at the national or EU level. 2016 should provide ample opportunity to move ahead in this direction.

Jorge Domecq, the Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, shared today the Personnel Recovery Functional Area Service Advanced Technology Demonstrator (PR FAS ATD) with Lieutenant General Wolfgang Wosolsobe, Director General of the EU Military Staff. During the meeting at the Agency other topics of common interest like EDA support to operations and other capability development issues and projects were discussed.   

Successful Personnel Recovery (PR) tasks have a positive impact on operational security, the morale and the confidence of deployed forces in theatres of operations, as well as public support. It is therefore imperative to ensure the effective and quick recovery and reintegration of isolated personnel. EDA, with its Project Team Personnel Recovery, has been working in mitigating identified shortfalls for the full spectrum of PR.    

The Personnel Recovery Functional Area Service Advanced Technology Demonstrator (PR FAS ATD) is an information management and Command & Control (C2) tool which is expected to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of PR for operations and missions.   

“The continuous support of the EUMS to address challenges in Personnel Recovery is much appreciated. We invite the EUMS to use the tool within the EU Operations Centre and to share with the Agency lessons identified and best management practices”, said Jorge Domecq.   

The Agency continues to work on various aspects of the through-life management of the tool to ensure its operational functionality in the long-term.

 

More information:

• News "Personnel recovery course hosted by European Personnel Recovery Centre"  (20 April 2016)

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus are co-organising an EDA seminar on EU funding for the defence sector which will take place on 18 May 2016 in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The objective is to raise awareness and inform defence-related stakeholders (SMEs, academia and research associations) about existing possibilities to access European Union funding programmes running till 2020, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and COSME (EU Programme for COmpetitiveness of SMEs).

A particular focus will be put on ways and means to benefit from dual-use R&T funding and Enterprise Europe Network free-of-charge services.

The seminar is also intended to inform interested parties on how to participate in collaborative EDA programmes/projects and explore Horizon 2020 funding possibilities.

Location: the seminar takes place on 18 May (9:00h-16:30h) in the Filoxenia Conference Center, Nicosia (http://www.fcc.com.cy).

Registration: by email to seminar@mod.gov.cy or online on the Ministry of Defence website (before 12 May)

On 29 April Jorge Domecq, the European Defence Agency’s Chief Executive, participated in a CSDP symposium organised by the EU delegation in the US at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, where he spoke on the topic of “Technology, Capabilities and Readiness: The Way Forward”.

In his speech - the full text of which is available on the link below – the EDA Chief Executive stressed that “unlike the United States, there is no single European country that is able to develop, acquire and maintain the full suite of military capabilities single-handedly. That is why cooperation is so crucial”. Talking about the need to bring innovation into defence, topic related to the US Third Offset Strategy, he called on the US authorities “to do it working closely with your European partners in order to be a real partnership not only in the doctrinal or operational matters but also in technological and industrial issues”.

On this occasion he also held talks with Ambassador Tina Kaidanow, Acting Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs in the US State Department, as well as with Keith B. Webster, Director International Cooperation for the Under Secretary of Defense (USD) for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L). He also had a meeting with Fred Kempe, President and CEO of the Atlantic Council.

On 28 April, Mr Domecq was the central speaker in a round-table dinner organized by the Atlantic Council with the participation of representatives from US defence industries. In his speech, the EDA Chief Executive highlighted the importance of strengthening the European defence capabilities – be it military, technological or industrial – in order to ensure a credible NATO. In this respect, Mr Domecq outlined the essential role of the EDA.

More information: 

• Jorge Domecq Speech at Washington CSDP Symposium

The EDA seminar on “Setting priorities for R&T in Europe to prepare the future together” was concluded on 26 April in Amsterdam after two days of inspiring presentations and lively debates.

Organised in cooperation with The Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence, under the auspices of the current Netherlands EU Presidency, the conference saw some 150 participants discussing emerging and critical technologies, innovation in defence as well as strategic agenda setting for R&T in Europe.

The event was opened on 25 April with key note speeches by The Netherlands’ Vice Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Rob Bauer, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq, European Commission Deputy Director General Pierre Delsaux (DG GROW) and UK MoD R&T Director and current chairman of the EDA R&T Steering Board, Bryan Wells.

Presentations and discussions then followed in three successive panels. Panel 1, “From emerging to critical technologies”, focused on a number of game-changing technologies, as well as on the question of how to find them. In panel 2 “How to innovate in defence?”, participants looked at innovation from various angles. The third panel, “Delivering Europe’s defence research agenda for the future”, was dedicated to the future agenda for R&T in Defence, building on the outcomes of the two previous panels.

In his welcome remarks, EDA CE Jorge Domecq warned against the consequences of insufficient R&D investment and European cooperation in times of successive budget cuts. “In the longer term low R&T investment will lead to losing in Europe Defence and industrial capabilities. We can clearly not afford that risk”, he said. Now that defence budgets in many Member States are beginning to increase again, there is a “golden opportunity not only to invest in the here-and-now but also in the capabilities we will need in the future”, he said. Not only does Europe need to invest more in R&T “but it also needs to do so together, that is cooperatively”. Mr Domecq reckoned the upcoming Preparatory Action on defence research and the potential follow-on programme “will create a ‘game changer’ – provided the budgets are significant”. Domecq asked the question if we need to think about a European cooperation regarding technology watching and innovation on a low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), in a structure he compared to DARPA.

The Netherlands’ Vice Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Rob Bauer, also pleaded for investment in a “European agenda for collaborative R&T”. “Collaborative research leads to collaborative development of cutting-edge technologies. And this leads to less waste of both money and opportunities for collaborative procurement and more interoperability. This is why the Netherlands is in favour of a large comprehensive EU-funded defence research programme”, he stated.

European Commission Deputy DG Pierre Delsaux said the Commission’s objective was to make sure the European defence technological and industrial base is “broad, robust, innovative and fit or purpose”. If Europe does not invest in R&T, it won’t be able to cope with the security and defence responsibilities it has, he warned. European defence players need to cooperate more: “Competition should not be between Member States but with the rest of the world”, he said.

UK MoD R&T Director Bryan Wells highlighted the change in defence innovation patterns as civil and commercial high tech players have now taken the lead in R&D, including in fields relevant for the military. The scale of civil R&T investment now dwarfs defence-specific research spending; this trend has already given rise to technology areas in which defence relies completely on civil developments. “We have to accept that we will no longer invent the scientific and technology futures – and we should expect to see truly disruptive innovations occurring in unexpected, unfamiliar places”, he said.

The three experts panels highlighted the great quality of technological developments in Europe and the impact of emerging technologies on Defence, the need for innovation, collaboration, the importance of the Preparatory Action and its potential follow on Defence research programme and the need for a comprehensive prioritization scheme taking into account the different governance models and funding schemes for Defence R&T in Europe.

EDA Deputy Chief Executive Rini Goos closed the conference on 26 April by commending speakers and participants for their “inspiring and active engagement”. The event confirmed that defence-related R&T is important because it underpins the needed future capabilities, he said. “But to do so, it needs adequate funding”, Mr Goos insisted.

More information:

• The Netherlands EU Presidency, together with the EDA, will shortly publish a report summarizing the main findings of the seminar’s three panels. This report will be publicly available and can be obtained on the EDA website from 15 May 2016.

Jorge Domecq, EDA’s Chief Executive, was in Warsaw on Wednesday (27 April) for talks with Polish Minister of Defence Antoni Macierewicz, Defence Secretary of State Bartosz Kownacki, as well as other senior officials in the MoD.

Mr Domecq also met with the head of the Sejm’s National Defence Committee, Michal Jach. It was the first encounter of Mr Domecq with the new Polish Defence minister since the change of government in November 2015.

Discussions mainly focused on Poland’s current and potential future contributions to EDA projects and programmes, the general state of play in European defence cooperation as well as several upcoming events such as the publication of the new EU Global Strategy in June, the Warsaw NATO summit in July and the European Commission’s Defence Action Plan expected to be presented by the end of this year.

Mr Domecq welcomed Poland’s strong involvement in EDA, in particular in the MRTT programme (Air-to-Air Refuelling) and encouraged the country to continue fostering its engagement in European defence cooperation projects in the future.

Polish Defence minister Macierewicz indicated he would fully commit to increase the engagement of Poland in EDA towards more cooperative programmes and support to defence industry: this would be part of the interest of Poland to address the security challenges that Europe is facing.

Defence Secretary of State Kownacki said: “Cooperation with EDA is an important direction for Poland, and our involvement in different initiatives is increasing. We see the added value of the Agency’s work on many issues and support it as a forum for discussion and real cooperation”.

The latest issue of European Defence Matters, the official magazine of the European Defence Agency (EDA), is now available.

In its 10th edition, the magazine analyses the tremendous change the defence sector is currently facing in the way innovation and R&T related to future military capabilities are driven and implemented. European Defence Matters asked EDA subject matter experts, industry representatives and academics how changing innovation patterns might impact on European strategic autonomy, and what the prospects for Europe preserving its autonomy in critical R&T are. It furthermore looks at how the European defence industry deals with the challenge of strategic innovation, identifies some of the most critical new emerging technologies and gives an update on the setting up of the Preparatory Action on defence research.

The magazine also includes an interview with Dutch Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, presents Michel Barnier’s views on the upcoming European Commission Defence Action Plan and highlights the latest achievements in an EDA project aimed at enhancing Member States’ Personnel Recovery capabilities.

More information:

• European Defence Matters 10

Work underway in the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Commission to explore dual-use synergies on R&T with the support of existing EU funding instruments has led to a tangible result with the recent announcement that a €2.2 million dual-use research project led by a Polish SME will be co-funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

The Polish project called “Intruder Detection and Avoid System” (IDAAS) aims at developing a sensor-based system helping to avoid collisions between general aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV, or drones). It is the second dual-use research project co-funded under ESIF after a first successful pilot project in Portugal related to technologies for unmanned maritime systems (project TURTLE).

Of the total required investment (€2.2 million), ESIF will fund €1.75 million (78,7%). Project holder is EUROTECH, an SME based in Mielec, a town in south-eastern Poland.

IDAAS will integrate different types of independent measurement sensors (optoelectronic cameras working in visual range and infrared, acoustic microphones with a big sensitivity, laser scanner, radar) and a complex measurement and calculation module which will communicate directly with on-board or control systems. The fundamental advantage of IDAAS system will be its complete autonomy and independence from other devices and systems. Therefore it will be possible to use it as an independent or a supplementary anti-collision system.

The IDAAS project was first selected within EDA’s “1st ESIF process”, issued in December 2012 to obtain EDA technical assistance in finalizing the application dossier under the EU multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2007-2013. Due to a lack of residual ESIF budget at the end of the previous MFF, EDA has kept supporting it for submission within the new multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2014-2020.

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq welcomed the ESIF co-funding and stressed the importance of seeing an SME taking the lead in such an innovative project. “It’s a great success which confirms that there are funding opportunities for defence-related stakeholders available in the EU’s multiannual financial framework running till 2020, especially for SMEs with dual-use projects”, Mr Domecq stated. “The challenge is to ensure that all current and future EU funding schemes or tools are complimentary to Member States’ existing R&T programmes and not seen as a replacement for them”, he added.  

The European Defence Agency (EDA), in cooperation with The Netherlands EU Presidency, will hold its Research and Technology (R&T) Conference next Monday and Tuesday (25/26 April) in Amsterdam. The focus will be on future technologies and innovation models likely to impact on European Defence capabilities.

The conference will be opened by the EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq and the Vice Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, Vice Admiral Rob Bauer, followed by key note speeches delivered by European Commission deputy Director General Pierre Delsaux (DG GROW) and Bryan Wells, the UK’s R&T Director who currently also chairs the EDA R&T Steering Board.

In three main panel sessions spreading over two days, participants will then hear a range of expert presentations and discussions on emerging and critical technologies (such as cyber, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and additive manufacturing) and new innovative trends which will affect the Defence sector in the future.

The question of “How to innovate in Defence?” will be touched upon in a wider context with experts and representatives from the European Space Agency and NATO also taking the floor.

The final panel will discuss the way ahead for the future of European Defence Research.

Jorge Domecq, the EDA Chief Executive, will be taking part in the Security Jam on 26 April at 9 AM CEST to discuss issues of future military engagement. The Jam is a massive online brainstorm which will gather thousands of experts on security, development and human rights from around the world.

Discussions will focus on a broad range of issues ranging from fighting terrorism and transnational criminal networks to gearing our police and military forces towards 21st century conflicts or building new global partnership to reflect a changed world.

Mr Domecq will focus on the topic of future foreign military engagement.

How does it work?

The 2016 Security Jam is organised around six topics, running in parallel for 77 straight hours on April 25-28, 2016. In writing only, participants develop solutions at the strategic, tactical and operational levels of the various issues at hand.

The Jam is held on a state of the art platform with powerful data mining tools and statistics. Senior think-tank experts moderate discussions and guide Jammers towards recommendations.

Jammers can take part in discussions from as little as 15 minutes to as much as 77 hours. All contributions are in writing, and the Jam can be accessed using any device - computer, laptop, smartphone - from anywhere in the world.

Register  

To participate and to share your insights with a global network, you need to register.

The seventh edition of the Personnel Recovery Controller and Planner Course (PRCPC), a project initiated and supported by the European Defence Agency (EDA), was held from 4-15 April 2016 at Poggio Renatico Air Base, Italy. The event was hosted for the second time by the European Personnel Recovery Centre (EPRC), a close partner of the Agency.

All in all, 19 students from six Member States (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain) benefitted from the knowledge and experience of a cadre of instructors from Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The main focus of the course is to train staff officers in supporting their commanders in Personnel Recovery related issues. The course is designed for personnel who hold personnel recovery positions in tactical operation centres (TOCs), personnel recovery coordination cells (PRCCs) or joint personnel recovery cells (JPRCs). Most of all, the course aims at ensuring that sufficient trained personnel is available to support future PR activities.

Personnel Recovery (PR) is a vital element of modern operational planning as it provides a security net for deployed personnel. Most importantly, it boosts morale and acknowledges national as well as European Union responsibilities to effect the recovery and reintegration of isolated personnel deployed in the context of Crisis Management Operations under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

The next EU PRCPC will take place in Veszprem, Hungary from 30 May to 10 June 2016 and will be organised by the Hungarian Defence Forces. EPRC personnel will support this iteration with instructors.

Background

The EDA PRCPC project was established on 30 May 2013 as an EDA Category B project under the lead of Sweden. As of today, it includes six contributing EU Member States (cMS): Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden. On 31 May 2015, the cMS agreed to extend the PRCPC Cat B project until 30 May 2017. The EPRC is a potential candidate for the continuation of the project.

The EPRC closely cooperates with the European Defence Agency. It was created on 8 July 2015 by seven nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom) with the aim of improving the four phases of Personnel Recovery (Preparation, Planning, Execution and Adaptation) by developing/harmonising the Personnel Recovery Policy, Doctrine and Standards through clear lines of communications with partners/stakeholders (nations and international organisations), and providing assistance in support of education and training, exercises and operations.

 

More information:

• 6th edition of Personnel Recovery Controller and Planner Course (March 2016)

Ministers of Defence today met in the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board, under the chairmanship of Federica Mogherini in her capacity as Head of the Agency.

The EDA presented among other things progress of the four cooperative capability programmes, the interim report on the implementation of the Policy Framework for Systematic and Long-Term Defence Cooperation as well as a preliminary implementation roadmap for a dual-use strategy on RPAS regulation.

Furthermore the Agency highlighted the key findings of the hybrid threats table-top exercise it conducted last month. The exercise involved some 80 experts from Member States, EU institutions and NATO. It underlined for example the critical importance of strategic awareness to allow Member States to detect and identify hybrid threats. The detection of hostile hybrid threats is the most challenging and yet most important aspect of an effective defence posture in this context. Greater levels of information and intelligence and close cooperation between civil and military actors were identified as important. Additionally, rapid decision-making and deployment of the necessary capabilities needs are necessary. While in a hybrid threat scenario civil actors might be in the lead, the military must stand ready and provide decision-makers with the full scope of military capabilities if necessary. Specific focus should be given to the ability to communicate. Therefore the resilience, redundancy and protection of CIS networks remains vital and the contribution of more secure defence systems (including those using satellites) is important.

“The exercise was very useful as it allowed us to stress-test military capabilities in a hybrid threat environment. It also underlined the importance of close co-operation between military and civilian stakeholders in a hybrid threat scenario. However, we also saw that existing military capabilities should not be completely reoriented towards countering hybrid threats as the full spectrum of military missions must be considered”, Jorge Domecq, the Chief Executive of the EDA said. A second exercise in June will focus on the way ahead in different capability areas.

Ministers of Defence were also presented with an interim report on the implementation of the Policy Framework for Systematic and Long-Term Defence Cooperation. The interim report – which was compiled on the basis of questionnaires sent to and completed by the Member States – highlights that the policy framework is well supported. The focus on information-sharing through the Agency’s Capability Development Plan as well as the Collaborative Database is deemed crucial by a large majority of Member States.

Defence Ministers endorsed a preliminary implementation roadmap for a dual-use strategy on RPAS regulation involving questions of rulemaking, standardisation, technological solutions and issues of cyber security. The EDA will now start consolidating the roadmap with the European Commission and other relevant actors. 

The Steering Board tasked the Agency, in close coordination with Member States, to engage with the Commission in the preparation of the Space Strategy for Europe, to ensure that common military views of Member States are taken into account. Furthermore, the EDA will support Member States’ dialogue and consultation with the Commission in order to contribute to the European Defence Action Plan.

Jorge Domecq, the EDA Chief Executive, also informed Defence Ministers of recent activities in R&T. Between 2004 and the end of 2016, the Agency will have managed research projects with a total value of around € 1 billion in contributions by the Member States.  Mr Domecq also stressed that the EDA will continue to actively support Member States in their discussions with the European Commission in view of defining and agreeing on the research topics and priorities, the rules as well as the working modalities of the Preparatory Action (PA) on defence-related research scheduled to be launched in 2017.

More information:

• Council conclusions on Countering Hybrid Threats

2015 was again a busy year for the European Defence Agency (EDA) in supporting Member States to enhance European defence capabilities and cooperation. The Agency’s main activities and achievements of last year are summarized in the EDA’s 2015 annual report which has been published just now. 

You will find in the report a succinct overview of new developments which occurred in 2015 such as the adoption of the revised EDA Council Decision, as well as of the progress made in implementing the revised Capability Development Plan (CDP), the four key capability programmes and the roadmaps for future cooperation projects. Support to operations, research and technology (R&T), Single European Sky, exercises and training, energy and environment or VAT exemption on cooperation projects are additional EDA activities which progressed substantially in 2015 and are showcased in the report. All major 2015 EDA facts & figures are also included.

Have a look here!

Did you know that cooperative projects and programmes run by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and benefiting from EDA added-value are now eligible for VAT exemption?

This important change, which came into effect following the adoption of the revised EDA Council Decision in October 2015, benefits all participants in EDA projects and programmes and can therefore act as an important incentive for enhanced defence cooperation.

In order to provide interested parties with all the necessary details, EDA has now published a “Guide to VAT exemption” explaining all important aspects of the new measure such as its legal basis, conditions and implications, frequently asked questions as well as the practical steps which have to be followed by Member States and EDA to benefit from the exemption.

The “Guide to VAT exemption for EDA ad hoc projects and programmes” is available here.

More information:

• News "VAT Exemption: New Incentive for Defence Cooperation" (4 November 2015)

Speaking this Wednesday (13 April) before the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag in Berlin, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq has called for a profound reassessment of Europe’s common security and defence-related aspirations and endeavours for the future, to make sure the EU has a clear vision on the sort of project it wants for the next decade.

“Europe is being shaped in reaction to crises. We need a positive story, a new narrative for Europe. I am personally convinced that defence and security can become the drivers for the European project”, Mr Domecq said. The EU’s collective level of ambition should include the ability to protect its citizens, to secure its direct neighbourhood (East and South), and to enable and support its partners to become security providers themselves, he stressed. “Protect, secure, enable. This should be at the very heart of the Global Strategy” which High Representative Federica Mogherini is set to present in summer, Mr Domecq stated.

However, he continued, “such a vision needs to be put into motion and will therefore require investment, support of EU instruments, capabilities and a strong industrial base”. As far as military capabilities are concerned, Mr Domecq called for more cooperative programmes. “Member States face the stark choice between cooperating to acquire new capabilities or risk losing them altogether”, he said. “While there are many political declarations calling for more cooperation, the reality is that we face the renationalisation of defence. In the past, we carried out more cooperative programmes than we do today; we used to cooperate more in research and technology; we created instruments such as OCCAR or the European Defence Agency which has a strong European conviction. But today, Member States seem to be shying away from cooperation, there seems to be too much of conservatism in ministries of defence”, he said.

The EDA Chief Executive commended Germany for being “a driving force in Europe”. “I sincerely hope that, with the support of State Secretary Suder and (Lieutenant) General Bühler, as Chairman of the EDA Steering Board of Capability Directors, with whom I work very closely, we will take European defence to a new level, taking advantage of the context of the Global Strategy and potential European Defence White Book. Europe can simply no longer afford to be a free-rider in defence”, Mr Domecq concluded.

More information:

• Full speech of Mr Domecq

Since the creation of the European Defence Agency in 2004, support to the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and to EU operations has been one of EDA's core missions. Several activities are now ongoing to develop the support of CSDP military and civilian operations or missions as well as EU Battlegroups at the request of Member States.

Typically, CSDP operations and missions are deployed on short notice to manage crisis in remote areas. In some cases, shortfalls on assets and equipment arising from the force generation have led to outsourcing some key services. This has been the case for in-theatre rotary wing medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) in the CSDP military training mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) or the CSDP civilian rule of law mission in Kosovo (EULEX Kosovo).

In order to better understand the range of commercially available solutions which could fulfil possible future requirements for in-theatre helicopter MEDEVAC services and associated risks or limitations, EDA is conducting a market survey. It has to be highlighted that the objective of this survey is to identify service providers of ‘turnkey’ solutions and not manufacturers of assets or supply providers. 

Operators are kindly invited to participate to the survey by submitting their answer by 6 May 2016.

More information:

• MEDEVAC market survey information
• Operations support project page