All three calls for projects were published March 20 while the application deadline is December 1st. The projects include:
- Solutions to detect, identify, counter and protect against mobile manned, unmanned or autonomous underwater systems (including those operating at very high depths)
- Solutions to detect, identify, counter and protect against mine threats (including those operating at very high depths)
- Enhanced defence diving solutions to detect, identify, counter and protect against sub-surface threats
The proposals must cover at least the design or the prototyping of the solutions, not excluding upstream and downstream activities such as feasibility study and testing in an operational environment.
These solutions must include both manned and unmanned systems, Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Information (C4I) and mission management systems, sensors, as well as manned-unmanned teaming, and their basing, launching and retrieval, to detect, identify, counter and protect against mine threats; against mobile manned, unmanned or autonomous underwater system (including those operating at very high depths).
All of three projects should be consistent with relevant NATO standards and are required to uprgradable in all the relevant fields of the respective projects.
Solutions to detect, identify, counter and protect against mobile manned, unmanned or autonomous underwater systems (including those operating at very high depths)
The project sould tackle the necessity to optimize at early stage detection, identification, classification and neutralization of underwater manned, unmanned and autonomous systems that are floating, sailing or bottoming subsurface.
The solutions should involve innovant sensors, radars, navigation system. These could include usual assets generally employed for these tasks like Maritime Patrol Aircrafts (MPA) with appropriate sensors or could include more innovative solutions including UAV (Unmanned air vehicle) or other assets.
High capacity to communicate, including audio and video capacity, with other manned or unmanned systems is required.
The project should have improved capabilities for neutralization of innovative underwater threats such as unmanned systems, divers, torpedoes, manned systems (including submarines).
Solutions to detect, identify, counter and protect against mine threats (including those operating at very high depths)
Mine-countermeasures capability is an increasing concern worldwide (including for several EU Member States), in particular the necessity to come up with disruptive and robust solutions in order to tackle the ever-evolving hostile environment taking advantage of technological progress.
It should improve and speed up detection, classification and identification of mines or mine-like objects, especially in most demanding conditions (deep water, turbidity, floating or sub surface, buried…), using innovative sensors and/or UUVs (Unmanned underwater vehicles) and embedded computing.
Improved capabilities for neutralization of innovative mines such as deep self-propelled mines and mine counter-counter measures anticipation (dummy mines) while having an acoustic stealthiness (e.g. use of embedded dynamic anti-vibration solutions) are needed.
Enhanced defence diving solutions to detect, identify, counter and protect against sub-surface threats
Diving capabilities are a strategic asset, where critical gaps are currently identified within the EU. Enhanced defence diving is needed to support the full spectrum of underwater intervention operations in expeditionary setting, both at sea and in inland bodies of water. The developed diving related capabilities should respond to 2018 CDP priorities with regard to manoeuvre at sea, protection of sea lines of communications and underwater regulated zones, enhancement of the resilience of EU critical maritime infrastructure and the conduct of mine counter measures (MCM).
The system should support lower tactical level operations in underwater environment and should comply with applicable military and/or civil standards.
The solution should have a tactical comprehensive modular information and support system should demonstrate low electromagnetic footprint and should be modular, providing scalability according to the operational needs.
Cybersecurity will be a must. Design principles should be followed to develop a system resilient to cyber-attacks, which could lead to data flow disruption and information leakages.
