Deadline: 29-Sep-2026
The European Commission is requesting grant applications to support superior operational effectiveness, survivability, mobility, and firepower across all potential military scenarios.
The initiative focuses on upgrading current MBT technologies and developing future systems with enhanced multi-spectrum protection, advanced all-terrain mobility, superior firepower, long-range threat detection, and advanced command and control systems. It prioritizes reduced crew operation, future unmanned capabilities, improved logistical sustainability, affordability of manufacturing, deployability, autonomy, cybersecurity, and supportability, contributing to the STEP objectives in defence technologies.
The indicative budget for this topic under the call is EUR 125,000,000, as part of an overall budget of EUR 422,000,000, supporting studies, design, prototyping, testing, and qualification, including other eligible development activities.
Main battle tanks remain a key element of land military manoeuvre, particularly in conventional warfare. Existing MBT fleets in EU Member States and EDF-associated countries are ageing, and new technologies must be developed to maintain a technological edge and ensure mission success in all possible future scenarios.
Proposals should target the design and development of a single MBT demonstrator reaching at least TRL 6 at system level. The project must cover upgrades of current and recently deployed MBT technologies, including enabling and green technologies, to achieve outstanding operational effectiveness and readiness. Considerations must include mobility, deployability, autonomy, firepower, protection, C4I interface, cybersecurity, and overall supportability.
If implementing FSTP, proposals must describe how it will be used in the project and how entities with relevant expertise will contribute to its implementation.
Eligible participants are legal entities established in EU Member States, EDF-associated countries, or EEA countries, with executive management in eligible countries and not controlled by non-associated third countries unless guarantees are provided.
For more information, visit European Commission.
