High-end endo-atmospheric interception

Topic description

Scope: This topic aims to follow up and complement previous activities for the development of an endo-atmospheric interceptor by maturing key technologies required to successfully counter hypersonic and ballistic threats up to TRL 6. It should build on specific concept designs and advance the required technologies by developing dedicated demonstrators, e.g. for airframe, propulsion, platform separation, lethality, threat tracking and acquisition. This topic contributes to the STEP objectives as defined in the STEP Regulation in the target investment area of defence technologies. Management mode: Action implemented in indirect management by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation. Form of funding: Contribution Agreement. Entrusted tasks : Implementation of actual cost grants following a competitive call. Targeted types of activities: Studies, design, system prototyping and testing, not excluding upstream and downstream activities eligible for development actions. Indicative budget: EUR 100 000 000 for this topic under the EDF-2026-DA call and EUR 2 000 000 for the remuneration of the entrusted entity. Indicative number of proposals to be funded: One proposal is to be funded for this topic.

Conditions and documents

Conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in section 5 of the call document . Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries described in section 6 of the call document . 3. Other Eligible Conditions described in section 6 of the call document . 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in section 7 of the call document . 5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual . 5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds described in section 9 of the call document . 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in section 4 of the call document . 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants described in section 10 of the call document . Call document and annexes: Call document Application form templates Standard application form (EDF) — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Detailed budget table (EDF DA) Participant information (EDF) List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources (EDF) Cofinancing declaration (EDF DA, DA LS AND ASAP) Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF) Harmonised capability declaration (EDF DA AND DA LS) Declaration on procurement intent and common specifications (EDF DA AND DA LS) Ownership control declaration Ownership control guarantee PRS declaration (EDF) Model Grant Agreements (MGA) EDF, ASAP and EDIRPA MGA Additional documents: EDF Annual Work Programme EDF Regulation 2021/697 EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI) Guidelines on FSTP implementation - WP2026 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Budget overview

{
  "budgetTopicActionMap": {
    "113600": [
      {
        "action": "EDF-2026-DA-ACC-AIRDEF-EATMI - EDF-DA EDF Development Actions",
        "budgetYearMap": {
          "2026": "100000000"
        },
        "deadlineDates": [
          "2026-09-29"
        ],
        "deadlineModel": "single-stage",
        "expectedGrants": 0,
        "maxContribution": 0,
        "minContribution": 0,
        "plannedOpeningDate": "2026-02-11"
      }
    ]
  },
  "budgetYearsColumns": [
    "2026"
  ]
}