Objective:
The ‘Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System’ (MALE RPAS) is an indispensable capability to facilitate international conflict prevention and crisis management in all phases of operations – especially in the field of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). Member States and EDF Associated Countries (MS) have already used various types of MALE RPAS in recent operations to provide detection, identification and communication. MALE RPAS could also have a dual use potential.
The EU commonly agreed priorities underline the permanent need to track ships, aircraft and other systems across a wide area of airspace by means of interoperable unmanned surveillance systems capable of operating in all and adverse weather conditions and all types of environments, with assured data integrity. To operate in all types of operational environments, RPAS must be integrated into air traffic management (ATM).
As part of a versatile and robust MALE RPAS, the system should consider the option to incorporate the means for an effective neutralisation of targets that posed a threat to the mission being carried out.
Today, most of the ISR capabilities of the MS rely on non-EU manufacturers in order to carry out their missions. However, due to the sensitive nature of military operations and the restrictions on technology transfer that prevent MS and EDF Associated Countries from fully benefiting from platform adaptation, the development of a fully European MALE RPAS is key to reduce dependency on non-EU solutions and to ensure sovereignty in this area of ISTAR.
It is an overarching objective to strengthen European sovereignty in this strategically relevant area. Hence, this topic is expected to result in a step-changing programme in line with the commonly agreed EU defence objectives and ensuring European strategic autonomy and technological competitiveness in a broad sense.
Specific objective
MALE RPAS reconnaissance includes optical, infrared, radar and signal intelligence sensors and generates geoinformation data. The sensors for optical, infrared and radar reconnaissance are usual configuration parts of a MALE system. As signal intelligence is often classified for national eyes only, it would be preferable to develop a common pod design, which is suitable to contain the national electronics. The integration effort into the MALE system can be shared with a common pod design. This pod design is also a suitable baseline for additional future sensors.
The ultimate objective is to develop, produce and sustain a system that provides this critical defence capability to respond to future security challenges.
In addition, a strong European supply chain is intended to be developed at all levels to promote the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) in the long term. The supply chain should not be a pre-determined black box, but is expected to be open to competitive suppliers in a largely open tendering process, with the suppliers for mission-critical or security-relevant systems intended to be EU-based.
Scope:Proposals must address a prototype of a fully European MALE RPAS with an innovative ISTAR and armed ISTAR capability to exceed the capabilities of comparable current systems and the capabilities of systems available at the entry into service time or, at least, be comparable with them. The prototype must be tested with a view to further qualification and certification activities.
Proposals must also address the design and prototype of a common sensor pod for the European MALE RPAS, without affecting the timeline of ongoing activities related to the development of MALE RPAS.
In addition, proposals should address the enhancement of a multi-role approach for the MALE RPAS available with different sensor pod configurations.
Types of activities
The following table lists the types of activities which are eligible for this topic, and whether they are mandatory or optional (see Article 10(3) EDF Regulation):
Types of activities (art 10(3) EDF Regulation) | Eligible? | |
(a) | Activities that aim to create, underpin and improve knowledge, products and technologies, including disruptive technologies, which can achieve significant effects in the area of defence (generating knowledge) | No |
(b) | Activities that aim to increase interoperability and resilience, including secured production and exchange of data, to master critical defence technologies, to strengthen the security of supply or to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies (integrating knowledge) | Yes(optional) |
(c) | Studies, such as feasibility studies to explore the feasibility of new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions | Yes(mandatory) |
(d) | Design of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology as well as the definition of the technical specifications on which such a design has been developed, including any partial test for risk reduction in an industrial or representative environment | Yes(mandatory) |
(e) | System prototyping of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | Yes(mandatory) |
(f) | Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | Yes(mandatory) |
(g) | Qualification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | Yes(optional) |
(h) | Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | Yes(optional) |
(i) | Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies | Yes(optional) |
Accordingly, the proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of mandatory activities:
The proposals must substantiate synergies and complementarities with foreseen, ongoing or completed activities in the field of MALE RPAS, notably those described in the EDIDP Work Programme for 2019 and 2020 with reference to the development of European Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance Remotely Piloted Air System (MALE RPAS).
Moreover:
and
For more information, please check section 6.
Functional requirements
The proposed product and technologies should meet the following functional requirements:
Define and perform a flight test campaign to prepare for further qualification and certification of the European MALE RPAS, and report the outcome in a flight test report
Expected Impact:The outcome should contribute to: