Next generation rotorcraft

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EDF-2024-DA-AIR-NGRT

General information

Programme

European Defence Fund (EDF)Budget overview

Call

Development actions implemented via actual cost grants (EDF-2024-DA)

Type of action

EDF-DA EDF Development Actions

Type of MGA

EDF Action Grant Budget-Based [EDF-AG]

Open For Submission

Deadline model

single-stage

Opening date

20 June 2024

Deadline date

05 November 2024 17:00:00 Brussels timeTopic description

Objective:

The importance of rotorcraft in military operations is widely recognised as one of the most important VTOL assets/systems. Military rotorcraft act like workhorses of the battlefield, performing a variety of missions such as armed reconnaissance, strike, combat, combat and ordinary search-and-rescue (SAR), MEDical EVACuation (MEDEVAC), CASualty EVACuation (CASEVAC), utility, air assault and close aerial support, all of which are critical to the success of military operations.

After decades of European involvement in counter-insurgency type of operations, recent conflicts have marked the return of high-intensity confrontations very close to European Union territory, recalling that although military helicopters are key assets, they require careful mission planning and operations to be efficient and survivable.

On the longer term, rotorcraft is foreseen to be even more critical as future combat theatres are likely to take place in congested urban environment, mostly in littoral regions, and to involve a wide range of long-range strike capabilities (artillery, short range ballistic missiles) combined with a shortened OODA loop made possible by the massive global deployment of networked C4ISR assets.

Current capability forecast assessments at European and NATO levels show that the helicopter fleets will have to be renewed as of 2035-2040. The main objective is therefore to provide the EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries with a European solution that meets the European market and military needs in the field of rotorcraft.

Specific objective

This topic is intended to lead to a step improvement in EU VTOL capability with a view to future EU/NATO rotorcraft programmes (EIS 2035/2040+). Moreover, developed technologies should also be used for upgrades of legacy platforms, where applicable.Scope:

Proposals must address future technologies and rotorcraft architectures with a view to the launch of a new European collaborative capability development programme in the field of next generation rotorcraft by 2030.

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 solutionsYes(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 environmentYes(mandatory)
(e)System prototyping of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technologyYes(optional)
(f)Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technologyYes(optional)
(g)Qualification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technologyYes(optional)
(h)Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technologyYes(optional)
(i)Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologiesYes(mandatory)

Accordingly, the proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of the studies and design mandatory activities:

  • Assess adequate elements and criteria underpinning the convergence towards a single vehicle architecture and assess the related operational concepts for high performance military VTOL platforms, including;
    • Fundamental work on EU defence community needs as provided by EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries, with a special focus on logistics, serviceability and training;
    • Assessment of the preliminary technical specifications, concept studies and sizing for major sub-systems (including, but not limited to, propulsion, core avionics, mission system(s), role equipment and general systems);
    • Feasibility analysis and preliminary requirements review (PRR) of rotorcraft architectures to confirm the technical, programmatic, industrial and market feasibility of the solution(s), with a view to further development and industrialisation and production phases;
    • Rotorcraft design study consisting of an assessment of vehicle architectures, with a maturity target allowing a System Specification Review (SSR);
    • Coordination of technology acquisition efforts to integrate key future capability streams since early concept phase (e.g., modularity, interoperability, interchangeability, manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), survivability, design-to-cost);
  • Address key technologies and system architectures for next generation VTOL platforms up to TRL 4-6, in particular regarding:
    • Design and manufacturing technologies to:
      • Reduce acquisition and upgrade costs, using an EU Modular and Open Rotorcraft System Architecture;
      • Reduce maintenance costs while providing a significantly higher operational and fleet availability than existing helicopters (e.g., utilising mature and already proven solutions wherever possible, harmonised maintenance programme, etc.).
    • Technologies towards lower-emission production and operation, as well as reduced consumption of energy resources;
    • Technologies to improve the operational capability and thus create an operational advantage in the area of:
      • Performance of the platform (e.g., range, endurance/autonomy, payload, speed, manoeuvrability, etc.);
      • Enhanced survivability in contested environments, such as technologies towards minimised signature (e.g., IR, radar, acoustic, visual, etc.);
      • Improved connectivity and interoperability;
      • Adaptability for rapid reconfiguration according to the mission requirements;
      • Improved interchangeability of components between different aircraft configurations and/or between different helicopter operators;
      • Manned-unmanned teaming and automation level to reduce crew workload;
      • Multi-domain (air, land and maritime) capability aspects;
      • Ability to conduct distributed operations to sustain potentially protracted confrontations.
    • Perform ground and flight demonstrations of systems and technologies, relying on technology demonstrators and available assets, as well as on laboratory testing.
    • In terms of programme activities:
      • Prepare the required industrial activities to develop and exploit the military capacity to be selected and the interoperability requirements;
      • Establish the preliminary programme management and the system engineering plans;
      • Establish the overall programme schedule and roadmap, including possible relationships with other projects;
      • Perform a costing evaluation exercise;
      • Perform a market assessment review;
      • Identify risks and constraints related to implementation, costs, schedule, organisation, operations, maintenance, production and disposal;
      • Identify key technological aspects and plan for their maturation within the programme plan;
      • Establish methods to ensure the simplest feasible technical solution to the operational requirement and to establish methods to harmonise and optimise the maintenance programme.
    • In terms of activities related to the operational environment, contribute to:
      • The refinement of a concept of operations (CONOPS) and Main Attributes List provided by the supporting EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries.
      • The definition of the sustainment model (i.e., number of planned flight hours, layout of bases, deployments), in line with guidance from the supporting EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries.
      • The definition of a baseline for aircraft logistic support, in accordance with the supporting EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries provisions.
    • Provide a proposal for a best candidate solution based on a complete value analysis covering performances, costs, risks, modularity, availability, manufacturability, safety, consistency with Member States and EDF Associated Countries operational needs, with jointly defined detailed criteria and hypotheses.

In addition, the proposals must cover at least the following tasks in view of the increasing efficiency mandatory activities:

  • Maximise maintenance operations to be performed at operational level and minimise depot level maintenance (with regard to aircraft components and aircraft ground equipment);
  • Minimise calendar and flight hour maintenance limits while maximising on-condition maintenance;
  • Minimise utilisation of components subject to limitations (e.g., REACH legislation or any other import/export regulation), potentially affecting the procurement of spare parts;
  • Implement as many already certified systems and maintenance metrics as possible;
  • Provide targeted production and maintenance plans to be worked on at all stages of the development/design phase.

The proposals must substantiate synergies and complementarities with foreseen, ongoing or completed activities in the field of rotorcraft, notably those described in:

  • The call topic EDF-2021-AIR-R-NGRT related to Future Operating Environment (FOE) and Future Operating Concepts (FOC) for Next generation rotorcraft technologies.
  • The call topic EDF-2021-AIR-D-CAC related to European interoperability standard for collaborative air combat as regards to collaborative air combat and manned-unmanned teaming aspects.
  • The call topic EDF-2023-DA-AIR-SPS related to Self-protection systems as regards to survivability aspects.

Moreover:

  • projects addressing activities referred to in point (d) above must be based on harmonised defence capability requirements jointly agreed by at least two Member States or EDF associated countries (or, if studies within the meaning of point (c) are still needed to define the requirements, at least on the joint intent to agree on them)
  • projects addressing activities referred to in points (e) to (h) above, must be:
    • supported by at least two Member States or EDF associated countries that intend to procure the final product or use the technology in a coordinated manner, including through joint procurement

and

    • based on common technical specifications jointly agreed by the Member States or EDF associated countries that are to co-finance the action or that intend to jointly procure the final product or to jointly use the technology (or, if design within the meaning of point (d) is still needed to define the specifications, at least on the joint intent to agree on them).

For more information, please check section 6.

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