The Commission will invest €1.07 billion in 57 defence projects

Following the evaluation of the 2025 calls for proposals for the European Defence Fund (EDF), the European Commission will invest €1.07 billion in 57 new EDF projects. These investments will support the objectives set out in the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 and provide essential funding for the EU’s four main flagship defence programmes: the European Defence Initiative against Drones, Eastern Flank Surveillance, the European Air Shield and the European Space Shield.

Results of the EDF 2025 call for proposals 

The 57 projects selected under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 2025 cover a wide range of critical sectors, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber defence, drones and anti-drone systems. These investments are designed to ensure that the EU remains a leader in advanced defence technology.

More than 15 projects will support the four European flagship initiatives on preparedness. For example, the AETHER project will develop propulsion and thermal management systems to support the Defence Against Drones Initiative. All flagship initiatives will also benefit from cross-cutting projects focusing on sensors, digital transformation or cyber technologies.

The EU is also deepening its cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry, with the support of the EU Defence Innovation Office in Kyiv. This collaboration aims to better integrate Ukraine into the European industrial base. A key initiative, the STRATUS Project, will develop an artificial intelligence-based cyber defence system for drone swarms. The project includes a Ukrainian subcontractor, ensuring it benefits from direct battlefield experience.

To attract new talent, several projects focused on the mass production of affordable drone munitions will launch special calls for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These smaller companies will be eligible to receive up to €60,000 each to integrate new innovations, thereby facilitating market entry for those without prior defence experience. Ukrainian entities may also apply. The selected projects involve 634 entities from 26 EU Member States and Norway, reflecting a strong commitment to European defence cooperation. SMEs play a key role in this round, accounting for over 38% of participants and receiving over 21% of the total funding.

Under these calls, €675 million will be allocated to support 32 capability development initiatives and €332 million to 25 research projects.

Next steps

Following the selection of the winning proposals, the Commission will now proceed to draw up the grant agreements with the consortia, with the aim of signing these agreements before the end of the year.

Background

The European Defence Fund (EDF) is the EU’s main instrument for supporting cooperation in defence research and development, with a budget of €7.3 billion for the period 2021–2027. It fosters collaboration between companies of all sizes and research institutions across the EU and Norway. Furthermore, the EDF drives the transformation and expansion of the EU’s defence ecosystem, with the European Defence Innovation Programme (EUDIS) at its core.

The fifth round of EDF calls has attracted a record number of 410 proposals, representing a 37% increase compared to last year.

More information: European Commission.