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18 Dec 25. EU flagship defense R&D in 2026 covers hypersonic defense, future tank. The European Defence Fund plans to allocate €1 bn ($1.2 bn) in funding for defense research and development in 2026, with the biggest chunk of money budgeted for work on air and missile defense, including countering hypersonic glide vehicles. The EDF annual work program includes €168 m for hypersonic counters and high-end endo-atmospheric interception, the European Commission wrote in a call for proposals published Wednesday. The other big-ticket item is ground combat, with €150m for work on future main battle tank platforms and a multiple rocket launcher. The fund was set up in 2021 to back collaborative defense R&D by European Union members and has so far invested around €4 bn in more than 200 projects. Some EDF-backed projects address critical capability gaps, such as Odin’s Eye II to build a satellite-based early warning system, or work that would be challenging for a single country to manage, such as hypersonic defense.
“Europe must strengthen collaboration in defense, with the European Defence Fund acting as a key foundation for this effort,” European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said. “For the sixth time, we are investing significant resources to incentivize and support research and development on major defense capabilities.”
The EDF has helped reduced duplication and boosted pan-European cooperation, but needs procedural simplification and closer integration with national planning, according to an interim evaluation by the European Parliamentary Research Service published in October.
Half of the 2026 EDF budget is earmarked for major defense capabilities, including developing an EU endo-atmospheric interceptor, a main battle tank, multiple rocket launcher and key technologies for next-generation air fighters, the commission said. A quarter will go to future defense technologies such as quantum-secured networks, artificial intelligence and robot and drone swarms. The 2026 work program includes €125m to develop future main battle tank systems with more survivability, superior firepower and the ability to operate with reduced crews and, later on, unmanned. Existing EU tank fleets are aging, and new MBT technologies need to be developed and tested in all future scenarios to maintain a technological edge, the commission said. The EDF is budgeting €100 m for high-end endo-atmospheric interception, building on previous work to mature key technologies to technology readiness level 6 and develop demonstrators for areas including the interceptor air frame, propulsion and lethality. The fund will also directly award an indicative €68 m, without a new call for proposals, to continue work on building, testing and flying a basic hypersonic glide vehicle demonstrator as part of efforts to counter the threat, with the work subject to EU secrecy requirements. Companies involved include MBDA, Airbus, Diehl, Hensoldt, Kongsberg, Indra Sistemas and Saab. The EDF work program includes €90m to study designs and enable prototypes of medium-sized, semi-autonomous surface vessels for defending coastal waters. The technology should be adaptable for new naval-warfare missions in the future. Next year’s budget further includes amounts of €20 m to €30 m for programs including a turbofan engine in the 25-35 kilonewton thrust range to power an unmanned loyal wingman aerial vehicle; radar to track unmanned hypersonic vehicles; automated air-to-air refueling; “enhanced cognitive EW” that uses AI to identify and respond to threats; and a multiple rocket launcher. (Source: Defense News)
18 Dec 25. Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session – 21-22 January 2026. NATO’s highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, will meet on 21-22 January 2026 in Brussels, at the Chiefs of Defence level. The Chair of the Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, will preside the meeting, with the participation of the 32 Allies, along with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Alexus G. Grynkewich, and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), Admiral Pierre Vandier. Allied Chiefs of Defence will also meet with counterparts from NATO Indo-Pacific Partners, Georgia and Ukraine. In the first session, SACEUR will brief the Chiefs of Defence on the status of NATO’s readiness to bolster the Alliance’s collective deterrence and defence posture in the face of our common security challenges. During the second session, SACT will address how NATO can accelerate the delivery of relevant capabilities by supporting Nations in adopting and fielding innovation, at the right scale and pace. In the NATO-Ukraine Council format, Chiefs of Defence will also discuss the situation on the ground in Ukraine and NATO continued support to Ukraine, including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) and the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC). The Chair of the EU Military Committee (CEUMC) is also invited to participate in this session. The following sessions will stress the strategic role of Partnerships to address interlinked and evolving global security challenges with counterparts from NATO Indo-Pacific Partners and Georgia.
Wednesday 21 Jan 2026
08:30 (CET) Opening remarks by:
- Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee.
Thursday 22 Jan 2026
17:30 (CET) Joint press conference with:
- Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC);
- General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR);
- Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT).
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Founded in 1987, Exensor Technology is a world leading supplier of Networked Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) Systems providing tailored sensor solutions to customers all over the world. From our Headquarters in Lund Sweden, our centre of expertise in Network Communications at Communications Research Lab in Kalmar Sweden and our Production site outside of Basingstoke UK, we design, develop and produce latest state of the art rugged UGS solutions at the highest quality to meet the most stringent demands of our customers. Our systems are in operation and used in a wide number of Military as well as Homeland Security applications worldwide. The modular nature of the system ensures any external sensor can be integrated, providing the user with a fully meshed “silent” network capable of self-healing. Exensor Technology will continue to lead the field in UGS technology, provide our customers with excellent customer service and a bespoke package able to meet every need.
A CNIM Group Company
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