Objective:
European competitiveness is increasingly dependent on the development of electronics. In recent years, the opportunities offered by Systems-On-a-Chip have become very apparent in many different technology sectors such as telecommunications, military, automotive, financial, medical research, and others.
Fundamental to this development is the integration of processing hardware, embedded programming software and firmware and high-speed digital-to-analogue and analogue-to-digital technology with low power consumption technology into a single component.
There is a need to invest in a European RF-CMOS supply chain and measures to mitigate the risk of export limitations connected to military applications. Building on the learnings from the GaN-supply chain cooperation, and based on the growing demand for integrated circuits, a European supply chain initiative, catalysed by military needs, is likely to become a very important tool for future European prosperity and for ensuring a long-term strategy of non-dependence for critical defence technologies.
Specific objective
This topic aims to increase interoperability and resilience, including secured production and exchange of data, to master critical defence technologies, to strengthen the security of supply and to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies. The action should define strategies for development and ownership of advanced RF-CMOS supply chain in Europe, possibly a European Silicon foundry base aiming for advanced technology nodes for analog (RF) and digital circuits, as well as technologies or methodologies that enable use of other foundries without compromising assurance, where assurance pertains to both availability of the supply chain and its security.
Scope:The scope consists of two interacting parts:
Proposals must include studies, such as feasibility studies to explore new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions.
Proposals should identify which components and modules are relevant for future systems and which manufacturing facilities are needed for such components and modules.
The action should develop a strategy for a European RF-CMOS fine pitch supply chain for manufacturing of high-speed and high-performance functional building blocks (data converters and FPGA) in the next generations of digital AESA Radar, wideband multifunctional RF systems. The nodes for each circuit (analog and digital) could be different to optimise the performance and be assembled with a system in package technology.
Taking in account the existing European manufacturing facilities and the civil programs such as CHIP JU, proposals should propose a design with a view to ensure:
The proposals must avoid unnecessary duplications with other EU, intergovernmental or NATO initiatives.
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) | Yes(mandatory) |
(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(mandatory) |
(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 | No |
(f) | Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | No |
(g) | Qualification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | No |
(h) | Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology | No |
(i) | Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies | No |
Accordingly, the proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of mandatory activities:
The proposals may also cover the realisation and test of RF-CMOS demonstrator for more than these two applications.
Functional requirements
The proposed products and technologies should meet the following functional requirements:
The outcome should contribute to: