Deadline Date: September 29, 2026
The European Commission is providing significant funding to develop a next-generation radar demonstrator capable of detecting and tracking hypersonic glide vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in complex and dynamic environments.
This initiative, with a total budget of €110,000,000 and an indicative funding of €20,000,000 under the EDF-2026-RA call, focuses on creating advanced radar technologies that can automatically adjust waveforms and signal processing in real-time to counter the effects of high-speed manoeuvring hypersonic threats and changing radar cross-section characteristics, classify and track UAVs in cluttered environments using machine learning algorithms, implement feedback loops between received and transmitted signals to optimize detection and tracking performance, and demonstrate improved operational ranges and resilience against electronic countermeasures.
Hypersonic vehicles, with extreme speed and manoeuvrability, present substantial detection challenges, further complicated by variable radar cross-section properties. Concurrently, the proliferation of UAVs for intelligence and reconnaissance missions necessitates the development of effective anti-UAV radar systems. The demonstrator will serve as an engineering development model to test and validate innovative radar technologies, assess their maturity, feasibility, and operational applicability, and reduce risks associated with future full-scale sensor deployment.
By leveraging artificial intelligence and cognitive methods, the radar system will dynamically select optimal waveform-receiver filter combinations, maximizing detection and tracking performance in complex operational scenarios. This effort also contributes to the STEP program objectives, specifically in the target investment area of deep and digital technologies, strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities.
For more information, visit EC.
