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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant aims to jointly develop an EU perspective for air combat, focusing on harmonizing and standardizing processes and tools for future joint air combat capabilities, including manned and unmanned platforms. It seeks to integrate next-generation and legacy systems. - Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: The grant is open to entities from EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries. While not strictly defined by size, the expected impact mentions 'cross-border SMEs' indicating small and medium enterprises are welcome. Larger defense industry players and research organizations are also implicit beneficiaries. - SECTOR-SPECIFIC: This grant is highly sector-specific, focusing exclusively on the 'DEFENSE' and 'TECHNOLOGY' sectors, particularly air combat systems. - Geographic scope and any location requirements: Open to entities registered in 'EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries'. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Organizations must be involved in defense technology, specifically air combat, and be located in eligible EU/EDF associated countries. - Grant frequency and program context: This is a specific call within the European Defence Fund's (EDF) 'Development Actions' program, which runs from 2021-2027. This suggests it's part of a recurring series of calls within the program.

Financial Structure

The total budget for this topic for 2025 is 49,000,000 EUR.
There is no explicit minimum or maximum grant amount specified per individual project, as the budget is for the overall topic.
The grant is provided as an 'actual cost grant', meaning funding covers eligible costs incurred during the project based on actual expenditures.
'Cofinancing declaration' is a required document, indicating that 'co-financing' from the applicant's side is expected. The specific percentage is not detailed in the provided text.
Applicants are required to provide an 'Actual indirect cost methodology declaration', implying that indirect costs are eligible but must be justified and declared according to a specified methodology.
'Financial and operational capacity and exclusion' criteria are described in section 7 of the call document (not provided), which would detail financial robustness requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type and Size

Eligible entities are organizations from 'EU Member States' and 'EDF Associated Countries'.
Specific organization types are not exclusively defined, but the program is relevant for defense industries, research organizations, and 'cross-border SMEs'. This implies a broad range of legal entities involved in defense development.

Geographic Location

Organizations must be legally established in one of the following countries:
Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (HR), Cyprus (CY), Czechia (CZ), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Greece (GR), Hungary (HU), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Malta (MT), Netherlands (NL), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovakia (SK), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), Sweden (SE).
Norway (NO) as an EDF Associated Country.

Track Record and Expertise

Applicants are expected to have the 'technical expertise' required for developing advanced air combat systems, AI technologies, and standardized interfaces.
A 'Harmonised capability declaration' is a required document, implying assessment of technical and industrial capabilities.

Partnership Requirements

The grant's objective to 'jointly develop an EU perspective' and the mention of 'allowPartnerSearch' strongly suggest that a 'consortium' or collaboration among multiple entities is expected and likely required for successful application.
A 'Cofinancing declaration' is required, often indicative of multi-partner projects.

Application Process

Application Timeline

The submission session opened on '2025-02-18'.
The application deadline for proposals is '2025-10-16 00:00:00+0000'.
The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in section 4 of the call document (not provided).

Application Procedure and Submission

Applications must be submitted through the 'Electronic Submission Service' via the 'Funding & Tenders Portal'.
The submission model is 'single-stage'.
Applicants should log in to the portal and select 'My Proposals' in 'My Area' to access existing draft proposals or create new ones.

Required Documentation and Materials

'Call document' (full details).
'Standard application form (EDF)' (specific to this call, available in the Submission System).
'Detailed budget table (EDF DA)'.
'Participant information (EDF)'.
'List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources (EDF)'.
'Cofinancing declaration (EDF DA, DA LS AND ASAP)'.
'Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF)'.
'Harmonised capability declaration (EDF DA AND DA LS)'.
'Declaration on procurement intent and common specifications (EDF DA AND DA LS)'.
'Ownership control declaration'.
'PRS declaration (EDF)'.

Available Support

For general assistance related to the call, contact '[email protected]'.
'Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ' for submission queries.
'EDF Info-days 2025' for information events.
'IT Helpdesk' for technical issues (passwords, access rights, submission technicalities).
'Online Manual' for step-by-step guidance on portal processes.

Evaluation Criteria

Expected Impact and Strategic Alignment

Contribution to a 'shared consolidated EU perspective for Air collaborative warfare'.
Development of 'common EU standards' for collaborative air combat, interoperable with NATO standards.
Ability to 'structure and develop an EU ecosystem' to support AI technology sovereignty for military uses.
Incremental increase of 'interoperability of warfare systems' for collective operations by EU Member States' and EDF Associated Countries' armed forces.
Efficient use of resources.
Identification of 'quick wins' for implementation on current or future systems, including participation of 'cross-border SMEs'.
Harmonisation of EU industrial processes and methods for air combat capabilities development.

Technical and Innovation Quality

Development of 'key technologies and capability building blocks' for collaborative air combat, such as:
Service-oriented architecture allowing diverse equipment to operate together through common interfaces.
Interoperability standards for IT systems (communication, data sharing, cybersecurity) with common data formats.
Scalable edge computing for mission management and processing heterogeneous sensor data.
Dedicated 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies' for flight certification, airworthiness, and trustworthy command and control of manned/unmanned systems.
Solutions for 'standardised collaborative air combat' in contested environments, supported by demonstrations.
Consideration of both 'manned and unmanned combat platform assets'.
Ensuring 'EU autonomy on AI engineering tools and libraries'.
Addressing interoperability with 'non-EU origin and NATO standards'.

Project Scope and Activities

Proposals must cover 'mandatory activities' including 'Studies' (analysis of standards, relevant projects) and 'Design' (standardisation recommendations, usage prototyping of AI toolkits, definition of new standards for architectures, interfaces, communications, and effector integration, software development tools, hardware interfaces).
Optional activities that may strengthen the proposal include: integrating knowledge, system prototyping, testing, qualification, certification, and developing technologies increasing life cycle efficiency.
Synergies and complementarity with 'foreseen, ongoing or completed activities' in air combat, notably related to 'EDF-2021-AIR-D-CAC', should be substantiated.

Functional Requirements

Proposed products/technologies must ensure 'interoperability of heterogeneous air systems' (existing to next generation, manned/unmanned, EU/NATO forces).
Must be applicable for the design of mission systems for 'next generation combat assets' and upgrades of 'legacy air combat systems'.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Adherence to 'EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509'.
Compliance with 'EDF Regulation 2021/697'.
'Legal and financial set-up of the grants' is described in section 10 of the call document (not provided).

Security and Data Protection

Compliance with 'EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI)'.
Consideration of 'cyber security' for IT systems within the communication architecture design.
'PRS declaration (EDF)' is a required document, likely related to classified information handling.

Ethical and Technical Standards

Emphasis on ensuring 'trustworthy command and control' for manned and unmanned systems, particularly concerning AI technologies.
Need to address existing and future 'open standards' (e.g., ECOA, IMA) for software harmonization.
Proposals must ensure 'EU autonomy on AI engineering tools and libraries'.

Intellectual Property

An 'Ownership control declaration' is a required document, indicating scrutiny over intellectual property and control structures.

Unique Aspects and Challenges

The grant specifically targets the complex domain of 'collaborative air combat' in 'contested and highly contested environments'.
A key aspect is the integration of diverse 'heterogeneous systems' and ensuring 'interoperability' with both EU and NATO standards.
The requirement to develop 'EU sovereign tools and libraries for AI' for military purposes highlights a strategic objective for technological independence.
The project structure involves 'Studies' and 'Design' as mandatory activities, with prototyping, testing, qualification, and certification being optional, indicating a strong focus on foundational and architectural development.

Risk Management

Activities can include 'partial tests for risk reduction', suggesting that risk mitigation strategies should be considered within project planning.

Grant Details