Defence`s Feeds

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Today, at the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency (EDA), the 27 EU Ministers of Defence approved the Agency’s 2024 Long-Term Review (LTR). As strategic guidance given to EDA, the 2024 LTR outlines five core tasks for the Agency with a stronger focus on supporting Member States through the full development cycle of military capabilities. Ministers agreed to increase the number of EDA’s core tasks from three to five, with dedicated taskings on aggregating demand towards joint procurement and enabling collaborative defence research, technology, and innovation. Ministers were also briefed on preliminary opportunities stemming from the 2024 Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) and marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Agency.

AN AGENCY FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Ministers of Defence endorsed an update of the Agency’s mandate to fully reflect the deteriorated security environment in Europe and the evolving role of the Agency within the EU defence landscape, marking 20 years since its establishment. Reflecting the dramatic geopolitical changes since 2017, when the last iteration of the LTR was approved, the 2024 LTR outlines how the Agency can support Ministries of Defence (MoDs) along all the capability development cycle, including limited off-the-shelf acquisitions, when Member States so decide.

The LTR also bolsters EDA role to voice MoDs’ joint positions at EU level and ensure the coherent alignment of current and future EU defence initiatives, policies, and legislation. The LTR also calls for the Agency to reinforce mutually beneficial cooperation with NATO through the conclusion of an Administrative Arrangement and fully leverage synergies with EU stakeholders to reflect defence needs.

Head of European Defence Agency and HR/VP, Josep Borrell said: “The European Defence Agency must have a more strategic role if we want to live up to the level of ambition that we have set for EU Defence in the Strategic Compass. The EU needs to develop defence capabilities to address the full range of threats we are facing. With a stronger and clearer vision, focused on capability development and the launch of concrete projects, the Agency can play a key role in building stronger and better equipped armed forces.”

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “This renewed and strengthened mandate ensures that Ministries of Defence have an Agency that is fit for the future. Ministers of Defence have endorsed a review that enhances the Agency’s ambitions, visibility, and support for Member States. With expanded tasks and a stronger intergovernmental voice, Ministers signal the Agency's crucial role in bolstering EU defence capabilities.”

INITIAL LOOK AT THE CARD(s) AND MARKING 20 YEARS OF EDA

Ministers were also presented with a preliminary assessment on the possible actionable collaborative opportunities stemming from the third CARD cycle. This Steering Board was used as an opportunity to allow Ministers to provide early guidance to help sharpen and finalise the opportunities to be highlighted in the final CARD Report which will be presented in November. 

Before the Steering Board was formally opened, Head of Agency, Josep Borrell, and EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý and Deputy Chief Executive, André Denk, marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Agency. Created in 2004, EDA has played a pivotal role in greater European defence cooperation, and made tangible contributions to EU defence planning, capabilities, training and innovations.

Further information 

1. 2024 EDA Long Term Review Document
2. Fact Sheet – EDA Long Term Review
3. Timeline – EDA 20 Years Promoting European Defence Cooperation

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In the context of the cluster of UAS-related projects that aim at providing the sought “UAS Enablers for Safe Airspace Integration in European Sky”, the European Defence Agency (EDA) intends to launch a tender with four lots to support the progress of safe airspace integration of UAS, from low level to high altitude operations (HAO).

Lot 1: UAS Single European Sky Experimental Integration (max. estimated budget 1.5M Eur)

In a drive to elevate the capabilities of European-made low-cost small and tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for precision navigation, the new project focuses on two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to enhance their operational resilience in challenging environments for safe airspace integration – specifically environments with limited or denied GNSS access and potential electronic jamming threats. Secondly, the project will leverage recent breakthroughs in EU space-based services alongside onboard sensor fusion powered by artificial intelligence. This integration aims to achieve unwavering navigation accuracy regardless of spectrum availability, demonstrably validating its effectiveness through real-world proof-of-concept and demonstration phases. The successful development of these advanced navigation capabilities for UAS aims to ensure their safe integration into the airspace.

Lot 2: Risk Assessment for UAS operations (max. estimated budget 400 k Eur)

The objective of this lot is to expand the current online tool supporting the MIL-UAS-SPECIFIC methodology (see EDA webpage https://eda.europa.eu/mil-uas-specific-study) to automatize most of the risk assessment process by leveraging the – regularly updated - MIL-UAS-SPECIFIC methodology or any other harmonised Risk assessment methodology accepted by the military (e.g., SORA). The current online tool will become a “networking/connecting” online tool, with selectable Risk assessment methodologies running back office, including a selectable accepted risk level for the UAS operations to cover operations in peace, crisis and war times.

Lot 3: Higher Airspace Operations study (max. estimated budget 800 kEur)

Over the last years, Higher Airspace Operations (HAO) have been in the spotlight. The upcoming EASA regulatory work requires that the civil–military aspects are included. The objective is to clarify specific civil–military aspects in the domain of HAO in order to: a) analyse the security risks posed by HAO; b) Address potential challenges in order to avoid any adverse impact on national security and defence capabilities with an EU approach; c) Ensure military access to higher airspace. Take advantage of all opportunities, particularly those offered by the civil-military collaboration make the most of the identified synergies.

Lot 4: Consultancy services for needs assessment, market research and consultation, analysis of the state-of-the-art (max. estimated budget 200 kEur)

This project aims to bridge the gap by assessing the specific needs of military UAS users and leverage the dual-use of UAS technology towards the safe integration into European airspace. It has three key objectives: a) to understand end-user needs for safe airspace UAS integration. b) to evaluate technologies for enhanced UAS integration, including the market research and analysis of state-of-the-art of current conspicuity, ATM and positioning technologies within the EU market, that can enable safe UAS integration; c) proposal of way forward and consultation for future projects.

For more information, please consult the Public Information Notice.

https://ted.europa.eu/en/notice/-/detail/292847-2024

Information Session: Where and When?

The information session will be held on 04 July 2024 from 10:00 am until 12:00 CET.

The event will be done remotely via Webex. Link to be provided after registration to the contacts provided in the register form.

How to register?

Participation is free of charge, but interested parties must register in advance, and no later than 28 of June 2024 EOB, using the following link:  https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EDA_UAS_Enablers

Contact Information

Please use the registration form as primary mean to access information. Please refrain from email exchange, unless strictly necessary and no other option is possible.

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