Webinar: The European Defense Fund (EDF) 2026

Access to the European Defense Fund (EDF) is one of the priorities of the Directorate General of Armament (Ministry of the Armed Forces) in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the industry and contribute to the strategic autonomy of the EU.

The EDF is the European Commission's instrument for supporting collaborative R&D in the field of defense. It promotes cooperation between companies of all sizes and research stakeholders across the EU and Norway (as an associated country).

With a budget of around €1 billion, the FED 2026 call supports collaborative research and development projects covering all major capability areas, from disruptive technologies to operational readiness.

Structured around key priorities such as air combat, missile defense, digital technology, space, energy, and force resilience, this program represents a major opportunity for manufacturers, SMEs, research organizations, and innovation stakeholders wishing to contribute to the development of tomorrow's European defense capabilities.

With the support of the DGA, the Aerospace Valley cluster andits partners, the Alpha-RLH cluster, the European Ceramics Cluster, ID4 Mobility, and the Primus cluster are offering a webinar to present the European Defense Fund 2026.

On the program:

- Presentation of research and development activities and SME calls;

- Eligibility rules ;

· Specific nature of the SME development call and role of the DGA;

· Feedback on the 2024 and 2025 EDF calls for proposals

- Tips and recommendations

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Contact ALPHA-RLH: m.pech@alpha-rlh.com