EDA News

Today (3 May 2017) Chief Executive Jorge Domecq welcomed Mr. Øystein Bø (State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence of Norway) to the EDA for productive talks focused on further enhancing EDA-Norway cooperation. As a non-member of the European Union, Norway signed an Administrative Arrangement with the EDA in 2006, and is now actively involved in a range of EDA projects and programmes. The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to access progress on EDA-Norway cooperation as well as investigate areas where cooperation could be expanded. 

Mr. Domecq welcomed State Secretary Bø  by expressing his deep appreciation for Norway’s involvement and support to the EDA through Norway’s overall commitment to cooperation with the agency. As an example of this cooperation, Mr. Domecq highlighted that almost all the actions agreed between the EDA and Norway during his meeting with the Norwegian Minister of Defence Ine Eriksen Søreide in January 2016 have been concluded. One of the most concrete actions has been the successful secondment if a Norwegian expert to EDA who leads EDA’s work on CBRN R&T.   

Before the meeting began, EDA Project Officers presented State Secretary Bø with selected EDA capability development projects, offering an opportunity to demonstrate the work that the EDA is currently undertaking in CBRN, SESAR and Cyber. 

Norway has a long standing and deep participation in EDA activities, most notably in Air-to-Air Refuelling (Norway signed in February 2017 together with Belgium and Germany a Declaration of Intent confirming that it will sign the MMF MoU in 2017), GOVSATCOM which Norway is now officially participating in, also equally involved in projects and programmes related to C-IED such as JDEAL and CBRN. Furthermore, as a full member of the European Tactical Airlift Center (ETAC), Norway will participate in EAATTC (Tactical Airlift Training) 17-4 in Zaragoza this September. However most prominent involvement of Norway in EDA’s work is its active participation in projects and programmes in the field of research and technology.

Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Domecq commented; “I am delighted to have welcomed State Secretary of Norway Øystein Bø to the EDA for positive and forward looking discussions. I am particularly grateful for Norway’s participation and contribution to the EDA. The cooperation we have built has been very fruitful and also serves as a model for EDA’s cooperation with partners. I believe we can look forward to developing new ways to enhance cooperation with Norway.”

 

More information:

• EDA Chief Executive and Norwegian Minister of Defence discuss defence cooperation
• Administrative arrangements with non-EU members
• EDA programme launched to improve IED Detection
• Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) takes shape

Exercise FIRE BLADE 2017 (FB17) will take place at Papa Airbase in Hungary from 1-12 May 2017 with around 500 personnel and 16 aircraft taking part from 5 Member States. This is the 11th Helicopter exercise to be conducted under the umbrella of EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP).

The European Defence Agency continues to offer an operationally realistic framework for Member States to develop, consolidate and share best practice in advanced helicopter operations. The conflict in Afghanistan brought several contributing Member States (cMS) together to jointly overcome reduced availability of combat ready crews and platforms. Several common factors were identified: a lack of effective crew training, sub-optimal technical equipment and the challenges of logistic support to remote deployed operations. The HEP successfully addressed the training need and continues to offer a unique vehicle for improved helicopter capability development. Exercise FIRE BLADE will provide an operationally demanding environment for participating Member States to train together and improve tactics and interoperability, including the coordination and integration of Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTAC’s) into live fire scenarios.
 

Exercise FIRE BLADE 2017

FIRE BLADE will not only provide crews with the opportunity for live weapon engagement, it will also allow them to conduct complex air operations in a realistic and challenging environment. A total of 14 helicopters from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia, as well as two fixed wing aircraft from Hungary will take part.

FIRE BLADE will deliver tactical training, over the two week period, offering participants a unique opportunity to plan and execute Composite Air Operation (COMAO) missions within a joint and combined framework. Trained Helicopter Tactics Instructors trained under EDA’s Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC) will mentor the multinational crews in the preparation and execution of theses challenging COMAO missions. The mentor team for FIRE BLADE will include 5 instructors from Austria, Germany, Sweden and the UK.

EDA’s Director for Cooperation Planning and Support, Roland van Reybroeck, highlighted some of the key benefits of the exercise: “FIRE BLADE marks another major milestone in EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme and will offer a very demanding period of training for the operational crews. Since its launch, the HEP has developed into one of the most intensive formats for joint European helicopter training. The realistic settings and complex missions are particularly challenging and the crews and aircraft will be stretched to their limits. I would especially like to thank Hungary for hosting the exercise for the first time and congratulate them on becoming the 7th Member State to do so.” 
 

Background

The overall aim of the HEP is to enhance interoperability at 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.
 

Another important milestone for the EDA 

 The HEP is one of the EDA’s helicopter training programmes. The exercises focus on individual, environmental and multinational training, increasing interoperability through practical experiences, sharing operational experience and developing common tactics, techniques and procedures. HEP started in 2012 as a ten-year programme, it offers a tangible example of how collaboration in training can be a critical component of improved European helicopter capability and interoperability.
 

EDA Helicopter Exercises In Numbers

Between 2009 and 2017 : 229 helicopters, 1.590 aircrew members and almost 13.500 technical and logistics personnel, as well as infantry and special forces, from 19 Member States have deployed to the EDA exercises which were held in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Finland and Belgium.
 

DVD exercise FIRE BLADE 2017

A Distinguished Visitors Day (DVD) will be held on May 11th, which senior officials of the participating Member States will attend. This FIRE BLADE DVD will be combined with a Media day with international media visiting the airbase. The e-mail address where media can register for the whole exercise and the DVD program: comoffice.jfc@mil.hu 
 

Future HEP Event 

 The next HEP event will be Exercise HOT BLADE, which will be held in June 2018 at Ovar Airbase in Portugal.

 

More information:

• Fact Sheet Exercise FIRE BLADE 2017
• Helicopter Initiatives (EDA project page)

 

Following a proposal by Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, as Head of the European Defence Agency, EDA Member States have decided unanimously to extend the initial three year mandate of Jorge Domecq as Chief Executive of the Agency for an additional two years, up to 1 February 2020. 

Jorge Domecq leads the EDA since February 2015. Mr Domecq’s prolongation comes at a crucial time for EU defence in general, and for the European Defence Agency in particular. As the Agency is crucially involved in the practical implementation of all recent European defence initiatives - from the EU Global Strategy and its Implementation Plan to the European Defence Action Plan (EDAP) and the implementation of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration – Mr Domecq’s extension will provide the necessary continuity in EDA’s top team to make sure the Agency can play its role to the full.

The implementation of the EDA’s Long Term Review, which was set in motion by the Head of the Agency last autumn and that Ministers will consider at the 18 May Steering Board and the upcoming launch of the European Commission’s Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), in which the EDA will play a central managing role through the signing of a delegation agreement with the Commission, are two additional challenges lying ahead of the Agency and its re-confirmed Chief Executive.

More Information:

• Profile of Jorge Domecq 

On 24 April, EDA welcomed 20 students from nine Member States to the opening session of a 16-month course aimed specifically  at reducing the energy usage within military installations.  The ‘Defence Energy Managers’ Course (DEMC)’ is the first of its kind to be run at the multi-national level and will deliver both theoretical and practical energy management system  training to facility managers from the navies, armies and air forces of Europe.  

Beginning with a 5-day classroom session covering the fundamentals of energy management, the students will receive project specific mentoring to deliver energy savings within their own national sites  and will benefit from one-on-one instruction from market leading experts.  The course is split into 5 distinct modules (3 classroom and two practical) and is based on the ISO 50001 standard but with specific applicability to the defence sector.    

The course marks another important milestone in EDA’s approach to sustainability in defence and runs in parallel with the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector sponsored by the European Commission and EDA’s own Energy and Environmental Working Group, which looks to mainstream sustainability concepts within the military as enablers for improved military capability and to reduce the negative environmental effects of military operations.

Background

In January 2017 EDA launched a new specialised Defence Energy Managers’ Course (DEMC), which aims to enhance MoD capabilities through the establishment and implementation of the EDA’s Energy & Environment Working Group (EnE WG) within their organisations.  The participants of the new DEMC will reinforce their understanding of the complexities of managing energy within a defence organisation or sub-organisation and will acquire the capacity to structure, implement and improve effective Energy Management Systems (EnMS).

Through the attendance of the course, MoD/Armed Forces personnel will be trained to the required technical standard to deliver practical, cost-effective solutions and, uniquely, will benefit from case-specific mentoring support to their first project delivered within the context of their normal work activities. After the course, the trainees will have sufficient knowledge to continue to develop their skills in a continuous cycle of self-improvement through on-going mentoring, alumni relations and as members of the European Defence Energy Network (EDEN) with permanent access to its established on-line resources. 

More information:

• New Defence Energy Managers Course Launched (January 20) 

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq held talks today (21 April) in Tallinn with Estonian Minister of Defence Mr Margus Tsahkna, Commander of the Defence Forces General Riho Terras, as well as with the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Estonian Defence Industry Association, and NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCoE). Discussions focused on the preparation for the upcoming Estonian Presidency of the EU Council during the second half of 2017 and namely on EDA’s support to defence related events organised in the framework of the Estonian Presidency. Talks also focused on Estonia’s current and potential future contributions to EDA projects and programmes.    

Discussions with the Minister of Defence dealt primarily with the upcoming Estonian Presidency of the EU Council and Estonia’s current and potential future contributions to EDA projects and programmes. Mr. Domecq and Minister Tsahkna also spoke about the general state of play regarding the Implementation Plan on Security and Defence, European Defence Action Plan, and other new initiatives that now are high on the EU defence agenda.

Mr. Domecq ensured Minister Tsahkna of the Agency’s support to defence related events organised in the framework of the Estonian Presidency. In this regards, the EDA has offered to co-organise the cyber exercise EU CYBRID 2017 together with the Estonian Presidency that will test crisis response on a strategic level in the context of major cyber-attack with the aim to raise awareness on a political/ministerial level of cyber effects.

Continuing a busy day in Tallinn, Mr. Domecq also held a meeting with the Director of the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCoE). EDA and CCDCoE, widely acknowledged as crucial actors for developing higher resilience against cyber threats, agreed to continue cooperating in order to bring added value to EDA participating Member States and CCDCoE sponsoring nations.

Mr. Domecq concluded his visit to Tallinn at the Estonian Defence Forces HQ where he held a meeting with Chief of Defence, General Riho Terras. 

The 10th edition of the Joint Personnel Recovery staff Course (JPRSC), a project initiated and supported by the European Defence Agency (EDA), was organised and hosted by the Swedish Armed Forces SERE School, a close partner of the Agency.

The JPRSC, which is part of the EDA’s Personnel Recovery Controller and Planner Course (PRCPC) Cat B project, was successfully conducted from 27 Marsh to 7 April 17 in Karlsborg, Sweden. It was organised by the Swedish Armed Forces SERE School with the support of the seven Member States contributing to the project. 

All in all, 23 students from  Sweden, Germany, Norway, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland benefitted from the knowledge and experience of a cadre of instructors from Sweden, Germany, Hungary and the European Personnel Recovery Centre (EPRC).

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

Personnel Recovery (PR) is an essential element of modern operational planning as it provides a security net for deployed personnel. Most importantly, it boosts morale of service women and men on mission and acknowledges national as well as European Union responsibilities to affect 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 Joint Personnel Recovery staff Course (JPRSC) will take place in Veszprem, Hungary from 22 May to 2 June and will be organised by the Hungarian Armed Forces. 

 

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 seven contributing EU Member States (cMS): Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden. The Course was extended three times and will be finalised on 30 May 2019. 

 

More Information:

• EDA Project Team Personnel Recovery (PT PR)
• EDA factsheet on SERE: e-learning tool for Personnel Recovery (PR)

 

 

On 11 April, the European Commission adopted the ‘Decision on the financing of the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) and the use of unit costs for the year 2017’.

In its annexes, the Financing Decision also includes detailed descriptions of three topics/actions for which calls for proposals will be launched in late May 2017, namely:

• A technological demonstrator for enhanced situational awareness in a naval environment. The project aims to show the added value of unmanned systems in enhancing situational awareness while operating alongside and communicating with other manned and unmanned systems;
• Research in technology and products in the context of Force Protection and Soldier Systems. This topic focuses on aspects such as future generic open soldier system reference architecture; technology advancements in tailor-made blast, ballistic and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) protection of military personnel; as well as novel developments in active and passive military camouflage methods;
• Strategic technology foresight. Proposals will need to develop and validate a methodology and/or process to gather data. These foresight activities will be carried out on a recurring basis.  They will be used to develop realistic scenarios of potential future conflicts which will help scoping EU-funded defence research.

 

Background 

The Preparatory Action on Defence Research, which will be run by the European Defence Agency (EDA) through a Delegation Agreement expected to be signed with the European Commission in the coming weeks, is the first step towards a future European defence research programme (EDRP) as part of the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027).
The budget for the PADR related actions in 2017 is €25 million. Its main implementation will be through grants. The call for proposals and the participation modalities will be published in late May.

 

More information: 

• ‘Decision on the financing of the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) and the use of unit costs for the year 2017’ (full text)
• Preparatory Action for defence research (EDA project page)
• EDA Factsheet: Preparatory Action (PA) on CSDP-related research

 

Around 40 government representatives as well as military, industrial and research experts met end of March in Vienna for the kick-off meeting for three new projects which will be run by the European Defence Agency within the EDA IED Detection (IEDDET) programme.

The IEDDET programme aims to develop and demonstrate multisensor detection systems for countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in order to support the development of improved Route Clearance Capabilities for the contributing nations (Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway and Poland). Each of three projects addresses different phases of route clearance operations: early warning, stand-off detection and confirmation & identification. A key goal is to improve overall performance of route clearance operations by exchanging information between the three phases.  

 

Here are more details on the projects’ objectives and the consortia in charge of them:

• Vehicle Mounted Early Warning of Indirect Indicators of IEDs (VMEWI3). The objective of this project is to detect indirect indicators of IED’s by using forward looking camera systems. The project will develop, test and demonstrate unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) based early warning and forward looking multisensor optical systems for the detection of IED indicators. The project is led by Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) in cooperation with industry, SME, academia and research institutions: Armament and Defence Technology Agency (ARWT) from Austria, Royal Military Academy (RMA) from Belgium, Nederlandse Instrumenten Compagnie (Nedinsco), ViNotion B.V., Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e), Quest Photonic Devices BV (Quest) from the Netherlands  and  PCO S.A. and Military University of Technology (WAT) from Poland. 

• UGV stand-off multi-sensor platform for IED component detection (MUSICODE). This project will develop new unmanned ground vehicle stand-off capabilities for detection of IED components by using remotely operated multisensory platforms. The project develop, test and demonstrate a UGV based multisensor detection system for IED components. The system will employ a combination of downward looking and forward looking sensors, and exploit information from the early warning system to further improve efficiency. The project is  coordinated by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) in cooperation with ARWT from Austria, RMA from Belgium, TNO from the Netherlands, Industrial Research Institute for Automation and Measurements (PIAP), Military Institute for Engineering Technology (WITI), Consortia Electronica (Cons-el), Advanced Protection Systems (APS) and WAT from Poland and Augmenti AS from Norway.

• Confirmation, Identification and Airborne Early Warning of IEDs (CONFIDENT). The objectives of this project are two-fold: (i) to focus on the confirmation and the identification of relevant components of IEDs including electronic parts, explosives and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) payloads prior to the release of the agents and (ii) to provide complementary early warning capabilities. The demonstrators will be based on remotely operated platforms (robot and CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS)). The UAS will be used for airborne early warning. The project will deal with the integration of various sensors or tools on either UGV or UAS platforms. The project is led by ARWT in cooperation with CBRN Defence Command/CBRN Defence School (ABCAbwS), Logistic School (HLogS) and Schiebel Aircraft GmbH from Austria, RMA from Belgium, WAT from Poland and FFI  from Norway. 

A subsequent joint test and evaluation phase will be conducted in selected areas in Austria to ensure identical testing conditions for all three project. The final joint demonstration of the programme is scheduled to take place in second half of 2019.

 

As part of its Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL) project, which has been launched in 2013 to support the fight against Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), the European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched today (18 April) a technical course which will last until 28 April and which is specifically designed to train military staff on the setting up and technical management of a new joint deployable capability (JDC) which will be delivered to the permanent technical exploitation training facility based in Soesterberg (The Netherlands) by the end of May.  

This new JDC is already the second deployable capability developed and delivered within EDA’s JDEAL project. The course is being hosted by the Spanish company Indra Sistemas at its facilities in San Fernando de Henares (Madrid). Trainees from the 13 EDA Member States participating in JDEAL will be instructed to handle the specific electronics items and tools, and to acquire the required skills to manage and operate the complex deployable laboratory. A visitor’s day for participating Member States will take place on 27 April.

This scalable and rapidly deployable capability will enable the participating Member States to deploy exactly the equipment that is required in a given situation, from a full laboratory deployment with all essential equipment to limited interventions with specific material only.  

Once the course is finished, the laboratory will be packed up and moved to Soesterberg where the delivery is expected by the end of May. After a final review and acceptance process in Soesterberg, this second deployable capability will be considered to have reached Full Operational Capability (FOC). 

 

More information:

• EDA programme launched to improve IED Detection (News January 2017)
• “C-IED proficiency needs to be improved and shared”, says Jorge Domecq (News October 2016)
• Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL) (EDA project page)

 

 

Additive Manufacturing (AM), widely known as 3D-printing, has been identified as one of the key enabling technologies to improve European industrial competitiveness.

Although AM technologies have been developed in the civil sector, it is considered that there is significant potential for additive manufacturing technologies to enhance defence capabilities. Among them, the most likely are mobility, sustainability, effect and protection through e.g. field repair & maintenance, reduced logistic burden and improved sustainability in warfightingand peacekeeping missions. Substantial economic benefits are also expected.

To identify and explore areas where additive manufacturing will have a wider  impact, the European Defence Agency (EDA) has commissioned Fundación Prodintec (http://www.prodintec.es/en/) and MBDA FR (http://www.mbda-systems.com/) to conduct a project on “Additive Manufacturing Feasibility Study & Technology Demonstration”, with expected delivery in December 2017. The study  targets the entire spectrum of European defence and Additive Manufacturing (AM) stakeholders, at all levels of defence and AM supply chains.

The project is composed of three work strands with specific and intertwined objectives: 

• A desktop study to place AM and its potential in a defence context. The main outcome of this work strand will be the identification of opportunities for AM in the European defence sector. At the same time, it will aim to highlight factors preventing European defence forces from reaping the benefits of this breakthrough technology
• The second work strand is a technology demonstration of AM  in a simulated deployment scenario. Its purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility and operational utility of deploying these technologies in support of a military operation
• Following the desktop study and the technology demonstration, the conclusions of this feasibility study, including the equipment used and typical objects and materials produced, will be presented in an exhibition. The objective is to raise the military awareness of AM  technology and to exemplify how it could improve the way operations, logistic support or maintenance of platforms are conducted.

Therefore, this study has the objective of raising awareness in the defence community and of promoting a better understanding of the potential held by these technologies, thereby stimulating their implementation in defence specific areas. By doing so, not only the R&T community will be informed, but also other potential beneficiaries of the technology, linked to the EDA capabilities mentioned above. This will create a synergy between the Materials R&T community and the operational staff, helping the R&T community to understand the requirements from the operational side.

The contractor for the study has recently kicked off the consultation process through different means (questionnaires, interviews, etc.) with all competent stakeholders, such as: participant Member States MoDs, European Commission, European Space Agency (ESA), European Defence Technology and Industrial Base (EDTIB), and AM related stakeholders (Industry, SMEs and academia).

Ministries of Defence stakeholders are especially invited to take part in the consultation, by replying to the questionnaire from the dedicated link (below), by Thursday, 30 April 2017 at the latest. If you have any technical difficulty or if you need any further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the EDA contractor via dsg@prodintec.com.

For additional information/clarifications, the contractor’s point of contact Almudena GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ (e-mail: aga@prodintec.com, phone: +34 984 390 060 (Ext: 1505)), while the EDA point of contact is Patricia LÓPEZ VICENTE (e-mail: patricia.lopezvicente@eda.europa.eu, phone: +32 (0)2 504 2890).

 

More information:

• Contractor’s questionnaire on Additive Manufacturing impact on Defence
• EDA letter - support to Additive Manufacturing feasibility study & technology demonstration
• EDA news on the AM kick-off meeting (December 2016)

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq today welcomed the announcement made by the Swiss government that Switzerland is going to participate in its first EDA project under the ‘Framework for Cooperation’ agreed with the Swiss ministry of Defence in 2012. The research project in question deals with the Protection of Autonomous Systems against Enemy Interference (PASEI). Germany, as the lead nation, as well as Finland and Austria are also participating.

“I very much welcome that Switzerland, beyond its current involvement in different EDA activities of common interest, has decided to make full use of the ‘Framework for Cooperation’ that has been set up with the EDA in 2012 by participating in its first concrete cooperation project.  The PASEI project, which deals with the protection of autonomous systems against enemy interference, is an important topic on which European cooperation makes sense, even beyond EU borders. The Agency looks forward to cooperating with the Swiss government and industry on this interesting project”, Mr Domecq stated. He also expressed the hope that Switzerland will participate in more EDA projects in the future. 

The aim of the PASEI project is to carry out a 1-year study to identify the potential types of enemy interference with autonomous and semi-autonomous unmanned mobile systems and the disturbing or disrupting impact they can have on the systems’ military tasks (including remote controlled operations). Based on this identification work, the study should also propose methods to detect enemy interference and recommend possible technical countermeasures to avoid and mitigate the risks of interference. In a next phase, the project could be followed up by the development of a technical demonstrator applying the recommended techniques to protect against hostile takeovers of current or future unmanned systems. 

 

On 6 April, Poland joined the EDA project 'EU SatCom Market' as the 23rd member. The project was launched by the EDA in 2009 to provide flexible commercial satellite communication solutions for contributing members. 

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 because it offers its members a pay-per-use solution without imposing any binding financial commitments beyond services ordered. 

Within the EU SatCom Market project, the Agency acts as the central purchasing body on behalf of the contributing members. In January this year EDA signed a framework contract with Airbus Defence and Space. Over the last year more than 40 orders have been passed adding up to a total of over 75 to date, with a total value €15.2 million since first order was placed in 2013. 

The current 23 contributing members are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom, Republic of Serbia, the Athena Mechanism and the civilian missions EU-CAP SAHEL Niger, EUCAP SAHEL Mali, EUAM Ukraine, EUCAP NESTOR and EUMM Georgia. 

With the Athena Mechanism and civilian missions as members, the EU Satcom project directly supports the full range of CSDP operations and missions.

 

More information:

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

 

Experts in Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) from 12 participating EDA Member States gathered in Larnaca (Cyprus) from 29 to 31 March under the auspices of the European Defence Agency (EDA). It was already the 22nd meeting of the C-IED group which is one of the most active EDA project teams.

Currently ongoing projects, in particular EDA’s Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL) or the planned European Centre for Manual Neutralization capabilities (ECMAN), were the main topics. Chaired by Italy and hosted by the Cyprus Ministry of Defence, the C-IED project team took the opportunity to discuss other potential activities to be undertaken in 2017 and 2018 to further improve participating Member States’ capabilities in the C-IED domain.

Participants at the meeting also shared views on upcoming C-IED related events such as the planned delivery of the second JDEAL deployable capability end of May or a military working dogs training event to be hosted by The Netherlands in September 2017. The recent delivery of the C-IUSAT tool to participating EDA Member States and the outcome of the DEMO meeting held at the EDA facilities on 24 March were also discussed.

 

More information:

• Counter-IED (project page)
• EDA programme launched to improve IED Detection (webnews January 2017)
• EDA to offer new C-IED application for improved situational awareness (webnews November 2016)

 

Martin Konertz has been appointed EDA Capability, Armament and Technology (CAT) Director as of 1 April 2017. He previously held the position of Branch Chief Multinational Defence Planning, at the German Ministry of Defence in Bonn.

“I am honoured and proud to join the European Defence Agency at a particularly exciting time for European defence in general, and for the Agency in particular. EDA plays a central role in implementing the various defence initiatives launched in 2016, from the EU Global Strategy implementation plan and the European Defence Action Plan to the EU-NATO Joint Declaration, and I look forward to contributing to this important work as the Agency’s Capability, Armament and Technology Director, together with its highly qualified and experienced staff”, Martin Konertz stated when he took up his new post.

As Capability, Armament & Technology Director, Martin Konertz will lead a key directorate that has a crucial function in EDA’s overall mission because it prepares the programmes of tomorrow by maximising synergies between capabilities, armaments and research & technology. The Agency’s main programmes, endorsed by the European Council in December 2013, are all under the responsibility of this directorate: Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR), Satellite Communications, Cyber Defence.  Currently, Mr Konertz’ directorate plays a central role in the Capability Development Process which is a key tool for strengthening Member States’ defence capabilities and their interoperability in a collaborative manner.

The new EDA Director holds a degree in electrical engineering from Bundeswehr University Hamburg and a Master Degree in Defence Technology from Cranfield University. Before Martin Konertz joined the Multinational Defence Planning at the German MoD, he was Deputy Defence Adviser at Germany’s Permanent Delegation to NATO in Brussels. During his long and successful career, he also was Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff at the Strategic Reconnaissance Command in Rheinbach (2004-2008) and spent two years (2001-2003) at the 10th Armoured Division in Sigmaringen, including six months as ACOS OPS MNB(SW) KFOR. 

The 4th European Air-to-Air Refuelling Training (EART 2017) exercise is currently underway at Eindhoven Airbase until 7 April. Four European nations (Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and France) have been training together since March 26 concurrently with the multinational Frisian Flag fighter training exercise. 

EART 2017 specifically aims to train tanker crews in AAR 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.

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.
 

EART 2017 Press Day

A Press Day for EART 2017 was held on March 29th. It was attended by Member State’s representatives, exercise partners and the media. The event provided an opportunity to witness at first hand the latest developments in joint European AAR training.

Speaking at the Press Day of EART 2017, EDA Director for Capability, Armament & Technology, Mr. Peter Round commented: “AAR is one of the four key projects in which EDA and its Member States has identified a capability gap. We are working hard to overcome the shortfall in Europe in the AAR domain and this exercise is very important building block in that process. Training and standardisation leads to increasing interoperability and thus to a more efficient capability and force enabler in the sky.”
 

Why AAR Matters 

AAR is an area with Europe faces critical capability shortfalls, highlighted by operations in Mali, Libya and Kosovo. With AAR, pilots can extend the radius of their planes and flight time, and more complex missions can be performed. Moreover, the planes do not need to return to their base to refuel between missions. 
 

Background 

The EART concept was introduced in 2014 following EDA’s air-to-air refuelling (AAR) initiative, and is run by European Air Transport Command (EATC) from Eindhoven airbase. It is a dedicated AAR training for tanker and crews to become familiar with scenarios they are not regularly exposed to, maintain proficiency and enhance knowledge of multinational tanker aircraft. The exercise is supported by the Host nation (the Netherlands), MCCE and EDA. EART is organised on a yearly basis and is pooled with the multinational Frisian Flag fighter exercise that operates from Leeuwarden Airbase.
 

More information:

• Air-to-Air Refueling Project page
• 4th European Air-to-Air Refuelling Training takes off in the Netherlands
• Air-to-Air Refueling Fact sheet

During the second week of March, the EDA Workshop on High Performance Light Weight Structures and the 36th meeting of the CapTech Materials & Structures took place at Airbus facilities in Manching (Germany). During the week, more than thirty experts, representing the Materials network from various European Ministries of Defence, industry, SMEs and academia related to this technology domain, gathered to share interests and plan future R&T activities.

Today, aerostructures know-how is mainly based on monolithic metallic and composite material structures. This also holds true for military applications. The potential offered by combining different materials in a hybrid design solution, by developing novel design concepts or by integrating several functionalities within one design solution etc. is not fully utilized today. Therefore, on 7 March 2017, high-level experts on materials and structures for defence platforms gathered to define a potential European level cooperative R&T project that will represent an important step toward further developing this concept. This form of international collaboration facilitates the sharing of background information on European interests and of current or foreseen issues specific to this domain. Having and applying the resulting insights could lead to forging common targets and to helping further EU collective capability in high performance low weight structures. The main outcome of the workshop was the identification of the most promising avenues for cooperation in this area, namely preparing the knowledge base required for future platforms, starting with design elements derived from existing ones  and identifying capability requirements and maintenance needs which exceed the current state of the art. 

This interesting and constructive workshop was followed by the 36th meeting of the CapTech Materials & Structures. The meeting focused on the review of the CapTech’s current activities and on the discussion about future actions and upcoming opportunities for advancing the scope and coverage of its work. Special attention was given to the impact of the ongoing developments in European defence research on the future SRA. These circumstances have been acknowledged as game changers also for the Materials & Structures community. In this regard, the planning of the new Materials Strategic Research Agenda, (SRA) following the EDA Overarching Research Agenda (OSRA) methodology, was discussed in depth. In order to prepare this update, the OSRA methodology was also applied to the development of Technology Building Blocks (TBBs) by analysing the technology gaps identified in the current SRA. 

Another evolving dimension of particular relevance is the incorporation of new Materials CapTech members, resulting from the continuous efforts of EDA and the Materials CapTech National Coordinators to welcome key stakeholders, growing the CapTech network from one meeting to the next one. On EDA’s side, the joint efforts with the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) to support dual-use small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is continuously leading to concrete opportunities by identifying SMEs potentially interested in the work of the CapTech. At this moment, the network is composed of more than 200 experts from various types of entities (Ministries of Defence, industry, SMEs, research centres and universities). 

The workshop and Materials CapTech meeting was co-organized by the EDA’s CapTech on Materials & Structures, the German Ministry of Defence-WIWeB, and Airbus DS-Manching.

Image Source: Airbus DS – Flughmuseum Messerschmitt, Manching (Germany)
 

More information:

• For further information, please contact CapTech.Materials@eda.europa.eu 
• EDA Research & Technology Web
• CapTech and CapTech Materials & Structures Web
• European Defence Agency Role in Research & Technology - Towards Enhanced European Future Military Capabilities
• 3 out of 3: another SME-led R&T project supported by EDA is awarded ESIF funding (EDA’s News)
• EEN dual-use PoCs on “EDA’s COSME web-platform”

The EDA is now inviting participants to the fourth conference of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) which will take place from 16-18 May in Lisbon (Portugal). Building on the progress made during the previous conferences, experts from national administrations, industry and academia are encouraged to continue to work in three parallel working groups: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency focusing on buildings, and (3) Renewable Energy.  Further information is available here.
 

More information:

• Third conference of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in Defence held in Rome (14 Dec 2016)
• Energy and Environment Programme (EDA project page) 
• European Defence Energy Network (EDEN) 

Chief Executive Jorge Domecq welcomed NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller to the EDA today ahead of discussions mainly focused on the implementation of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration. Deputy Secretary General Gottemoeller is the first NATO official of this level to visit the EDA, signalling an important message of strengthening EU-NATO cooperation in the field of defence capabilities.

Ms. Gottemoeller’s visit began with a presentation of selected EDA capability development projects, offering an opportunity to demonstrate the work that the EDA is undertaking, for example in the area of air-to-air refuelling. The briefing provided concrete examples of how the EDA plays a crucial role in enhancing European defence capabilities, which provide also concrete benefits to NATO.

EDA Chief Executive Domecq and Deputy Secretary General Gottemoeller then held fruitful discussions on a range of EU-NATO issues. Mr. Domecq began the meeting by outlining the main developments in European security and defence including the EU Global Strategy and its Security & Defence Implementation Plan with focus on EDA’s role.

Discussions then switched to EDA-NATO relations with the main focus on the EU-NATO Joint Declaration. Mr. Domecq underscored the significance of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration and its implementation to ensure coherence of output between EU and NATO efforts. As the EDA is involved in 6 out of the 7 areas of the Joint Declaration (Resilience, Maritime, Cyber, Defence Capabilities, Defence Industry/Research, Exercises), it is crucial that EDA-NATO capitalise on their existing good interaction. 

Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Domecq commented; “I am delighted to have welcomed NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller to the EDA for extremely positive and forward looking discussions. Even before the EU-NATO Joint Declaration the Agency pursues substantive dialogue and cooperation at staff-to-staff level with NATO, from top management to expert level. However, a new culture of EU-NATO interaction was triggered due to the Joint Declaration. It has added new momentum and provides the opportunity to further enhance cooperation and to provide more visibility to the ongoing staff-to-staff talks.”

The starting pistol for the first European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course for 2017 (EAATTC 17-1), hosted by the Bulgarian Air force at Plovdiv Airbase, was fired yesterday (26 March). The exercise, initiated by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and run together with the European Air Transport Command (EATC), will last until 7 April 2017. 

The event gathers five aircraft from five different countries (Belgium: C130; Bulgaria: C27J; Czech Republic: C295; Italy: C27J; Netherlands: C130) and over 100 personnel from different countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, Netherlands). 

This edition of EAATTC is dedicated to single-ship flying missions which, as the training goes on, will evolve from an initial low level tactical scenario to more complex air-to-air to and surface-to-air threats environments. Nine flights are planned for the single ship course. At the end of the course, graduating crews will be presented with a certificate based on the training events completed.

 

More information: 

• Factsheet EAATTC 17-1
• Airlift tactics training held in Spain (2016)
• Multi-ship, format flying at the core of airlift tactics course in France (2016)
  
  
  

A new EDA project aimed at the development of a media and technology monitoring system for EDA was launched with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission on March 23rd, 2017. This initiative represents a continuation of previous EDA Technology Watch activities and projects and has the purpose to increase access to high quality defence technology information for the Agency and its stakeholders. 

This new capability will help EDA  provide better support to the activities of Member States as well as those foreseen under the Preparatory Action for Defence Research and the future European Defence Research Programme.  Having a systematic understanding of evolving technical trends and their effect on future European defence capabilities, both long and short term, is of great significance for EDA’s work. The Technology Watch activity is providing one of the inputs for the EDA CapTechs process of technology identification.

The objective of this new project is to develop customized versions of JRC’s monitoring and data analysis tools adapted to the needs of defence. The modules identified in JRC’s tools have been assessed as crucial for understanding the state-of-the-art technologies relevant for the defence sector and their evolution. The new system will provide both media and technology monitoring components, use diverse information sources and offers a combination of search methods. Furthermore, JRC’s instruments give the possibility to identify in real-time tendencies in specific domains. This is especially important in the current context of fast-paced technological development and can represent a strategic advantage for the European defence community. 

The outputs from the monitoring systems can serve as background information to be used in the assessment and prioritization phases of defence R&T planning, essential for the development of the CapTechs Strategic Research Agendas. These activities will also support the dual-use link with the Long-term strand of the Capability Development Plan (CDP), EC Key Enabling Technologies (KETs), for short and medium term applications, and with the EC Future Emerging Technologies (FET), for forward looking technologies and applications.

The kick-off meeting between EDA and JRC took place on 23 March 2017 at the EDA in Brussels. 

 

More information:

• EDA Technology Watch & Horizon Scanning Tool 
• JRC European Media Monitoring 
• JRC Tools for Innovation Monitoring