OCCAR press release
On 14 December 2022 during a brief ceremony in Brussels, the OCCAR-EA Director Matteo Bisceglia, and the Director-General ‘Defence Industry and Space’ of the European Commission Mr Pesonen (represented by Mr F. Arbault), signed the Contribution Agreements for two EDF Projects that OCCAR-EA will be managing under indirect management mode. The two projects are the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) and the European Hypersonic Defence Interceptor (EU-HYDEF).
The agreements were negotiated between OCCAR and the Commission in a very short timeframe, which is a strong indicator of the very positive cooperation between both organisations.
In his speech, the OCCAR-EA Director highlighted this good spirit and emphasized the objective that cooperation between OCCAR and the Commission should grow more and more in order to strengthen the European Defence Industry and to assist Europe in making its defence environment more independent from our strategic partner across the Atlantic.
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EPC project
The project “European Patrol Corvette” (EPC) will focus on conceptual studies up to the initial design, and use as a reference corvette class vessel that can fulfill a wide range of missions in future contexts of operations. The produced design will be modular and flexible, more energy-efficient, greener, safer, more interoperable, and cyber-secured.
The EPC will perform offshore patrol vessel missions that the European navies to face the 21st-century challenges. The duration of the project is determined as 24 months. The estimated cost of the project exceeds €65 million, and EU will contribute €60 million.
The project has the support of the PESCO EPC Program, in which the Defense Ministries of France, Italy, Greece and Spain participate. In 2021, a consortium led by major defense contractors Fincantieri, Naval Group, and Navantia submitted an industrial proposal related to the EPC. The Preliminary Consortium Agreement was signed during Euronaval 2022.
Here are members of the consortium and their counties;
- NAVIRIS ITALY (Coordinator)
- FEAC Engineering – Greece
- Fincantieri SPA – Italy
- Force Technology – Denmark
- HYDRUS Advanced Consolidated Engineering Services S.A. – Greece
- I.S.D. Integrated Systems Development S.A. – Greece
- INTRACOM Defense S.A. – Greece
- Naval Group – France
- Navantia – Spain
- Prisma Electronics ABEE – Greece
- SH Defence – SH Group A/S – Denmark
- STADT – Norway
- TERRA SPATIUM – Greece
- Vestdavit – Norway
The EPC project is expected to enter the industrialization phase from 2025. The vessels are being considered in Italy to replace the Comandanti-class patrol vessels from 2027 and in France to replace the Floreal-class frigates in the late 2020ies / early 2030ies.
EU HYDEF Project
The project “European Hypersonic Defence Interceptor” (EU HYDEF) will develop a European interceptor targeting the 2035+ threats, weapon and sensor systems. The project will result in the concept, risk mitigation and demonstration of a cost-effective endo-atmospheric interceptor able to operate in different air levels encompassing new aerodynamic and actuator system for high maneuverability, highly agile guidance concepts, and advanced sensor/seeker systems.
EU HYDEF will define the concept for a European Interceptor to achieve the highest maneuverability and capability to respond to high velocity threats.
The duration of the study and design phase of the project is set by the EU Defense Fund at 36 months. The total estimated cost of the project is about €110 million, with the EU contribution close to €100 million.
