According to the European Council’s decision, 14 new projects will be added to the list of the 46 existing ones that have been developed under the EU permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) since December 2017. The new projects will particularly focus on air and space domains. From tactical drones to the development of space technology for defence, new projects under PESCO will propel more innovative opportunities for the future of air and space domains. Primarily in the space domain, The Defence of Space Assets (DoSA) will increase the EU’s operational efficiency in the space domain by making the best use of current and future space assets through cross-cutting space functions of access, passive defence and operational efficiency through training.
“The list of new projects also includes Essential Elements of European Escort (4E) for the maritime area, Future Medium-size Tactical Cargo (FMTC), Rotorcraft Docking Station for Drones, Small Scalable Weapons (SSW), and Air Power for the air systems. The Main Battle Tank Simulation and Testing Centre (MBT-SIMTEC) and the EU Military Partnership (EU MilPart) are included in the land systems area, while the Common Hub for Governmental Imagery (CoHGI) is part of the space area. Lastly, Automated Modelling, Identification and Damage Assessment of Urban Terrain (AMIDA-UT) and Cyber Ranges Federations (CRF) are included in cyber defence and C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers) systems.”
“The Council has also adopted two Recommendations setting out more precise objectives for the second initial phase of PESCO 2021-2025 and on the progress made by the project members towards fulfilling their commitments.”
