On 2 December 2025, the European Commission signed new grant agreements to start 62 collaborative research and development projects under the 2024 edition of the European Defence Fund (EDF). The agreements involve more than 600 legal entities, including small and medium enterprises, universities, research institutions and large industries from EU Member States and Norway, with a total EU budget contribution close to €1 billion. The projects address the priorities of the European Defence – Readiness 2030 agenda, targeting critical capability gaps such as air and missile defence, drones and anti‑drone systems, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and military mobility. Notable initiatives include BEAST, aimed at detecting and neutralising aerial threats, and GARUDA, which will develop next‑generation air combat systems. Drone‑defence projects, such as Small UAS and VANTAGE, focus on rapid tactical deployment and C4ISR capabilities. The grant agreements mark the start of these R&D efforts to strengthen Europe’s defence readiness.
© European Union Adapted from https://www.europa.eu , licensed under CC BY‑4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/european-defence-fund-european-commission-signs-new-series-grant-agreements-kickstarting-rd-projects-2025-12-02_en
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