EU allocates over a billion euros for more than fifty defense projects

EU allocates over a billion euros for more than fifty defense projects

Kyiv  •  UNN

May 16 2024, 03:50 PM • 18633 views

The European Commission has announced more than €1 billion in funding for 54 joint European defense research and development projects covering cyber defense, land/air/sea warfare, space defense, and chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear defense.

The European Commission has announced the results of calls for proposals under the European Defense Fund worth more than a billion euros to support 54 unfinished joint European defense research and development projects. This was reported by UNN with reference to a statement by the European Commission.

Details

The selected projects will support technological excellence across a wide range of defense capabilities in critical areas, including cyber defense, land, air, and sea warfare, space defense, or chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense.

It is noted that the MARTE and FMBTech projects, for example, will bring together more than 70 industrial players and research organizations to work on the design and systems of the main battle tank platform to be used across Europe.

The agency emphasizes that the fix will also be aimed at projects that will facilitate the strategic air transportation of bulky cargo, which is a key opportunity to quickly support missions around the world.

Also in the EU's EU Defense Innovation Scheme (EUDIS), small and medium-sized enterprises, startups and new entrants to the defense sector have taken advantage of a number of opportunities provided under the 2023 European Defense Fund funding round.

For the first time, 4 projects will support the transfer of civilian innovations to the defense sector.

The success of this call demonstrates the strong and growing interest of the EU defense industry and research organizations, regardless of size and geographic location, in cross-border cooperation and joint contribution to the development of EU strategic capabilities

- the European Commission said.

Recall

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has proposed to create a European air defense system modeled on Israel's Iron Dome to collectively protect all EU member states from potential threats.