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€1.006 billion. 31 topics. 10 calls. One deadline: 29 September 2026.
The European Defence Fund’s 2026 Work Programme is now live. Here is what changed, what matters, and whether your project fits.
The Big Picture
Adopted in December 2025 and amended in February 2026, the EDF Work Programme allocates €1.006 billion to collaborative defence R&D across Europe. Two-thirds go to development actions; one-third to research.
The strategic context is clear: the White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030 and the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 set the tone. The EDF is the primary instrument to deliver on these ambitions, strengthening strategic autonomy, reducing fragmentation, and building a competitive European defence industrial base.
Where the Money Goes
The 2026 budget is divided across two main operational lines:
Development Actions: €676,099,033 (67.2% Share)
Research Actions: €329,879,467 (32.8% Share)
Total:€1,005,978,500
In addition, administrative appropriations total €7.4 million to support programme implementation.
The largest investments in 2026 target five areas:
Priority Area
Investment
Air & Missile Defence
€168 million
Ground Combat
€150 million
Disruptive Technologies
€92 million
Naval Combat
€90 million
Digital Transformation
€70 million
Other categories receiving significant attention include Space (€50 million), Energy Resilience (€50 million), and Air Combat (€69 million).
What’s New this Year
AI in the field
A dedicated technological challenge on AI-based tactical situational awareness using swarms of small robots and drones, €30 million to push autonomy forward.
Hydrogen on the horizon
For the first time, dedicated topics on hydrogen-powered systems and sustainable aviation fuels. The new turbofan engine topic explicitly requires capability to run on kerosene, hydrogen, and SAF.
Protecting what lies beneath
A new €30 million topic on layered protection of critical seabed infrastructure, unmanned assets, advanced sensors, and integrated command and control.
SMEs take centre stage
Non-thematic calls reserved exclusively for SMEs, with lump sum grants simplifying access. Up to €6 million per project for development actions; €5 million for research.
STEP Seals
Most topics align with the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform. Qualifying proposals receive a STEP Seal, a recognition of strategic contribution to European autonomy.
How Funding Works
If you are doing research, funding is straightforward: 100% for generating knowledge, integrating knowledge, studies, and design.
If you are doing development, it gets more interesting. Baseline rates vary by activity:
Activity
Baseline Rate
Studies
Up to 90%
Design
Up to 65%
System prototyping
Up to 20%
Testing
Up to 45%
Qualification / Certification
Up to 70%
Bonuses can lift these rates significantly, up to 35 percentage points in total.
Bonus
Condition
Action developed in context of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)
+10% for projects under Permanent Structured Cooperation
Mid-cap
+10% per activity if ≥15% of costs go to Mid-caps
SME
Double the proportion of cross-border SME costs (up to +10%)
The result? A well-structured consortium can push prototyping funding from 20% to 55%, or studies from 90% to 100%.
The 31 Topics
Defence Medical Support, CBRN, Biotech
Defence medical countermeasures alliance (research & development)
CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) decontamination systems and technologies
Military multi-domain cloud services (deadline: 28 April 2026)
Energy & Environment
New turbofan engine (hydrogen/SAF capable)
High-performance energy systems
Ammunition waste collection platform
Air & Missile Defence
High-end endo-atmospheric interception
Countering hypersonic glide vehicles
Ground & Naval Combat
Future main battle tank systems
Multiple rocket launcher
Enhanced semi-autonomous surface vessels
Underwater Warfare
Seabed infrastructure protection
Flow-related underwater noise modelling
Disruptive & SME-dedicated
Non-thematic research by SMEs & research organisations
Non-thematic development by SMEs
Non-thematic disruptive technologies
Over-the-horizon sensing
Other
Smart and multifunctional textiles
Self-protection systems
Future multirole light aircraft
Secure digital military mobility system
AI framework for military decision-making
All topics close 29 September 2026 except military multi-domain cloud services, which closes on 28 April 2026.
EDF 2025 Results at a Glance
The European Commission announced the official results of the EDF 2025 calls for proposals, confirming the selection of 57 new defence projects with a total of €1 billion in EU funding.
The Commission received 410 proposals involving 634 unique legal entities from 26 EU Member States, Norway, and Ukraine, with an average of 18 participants from 9 different countries per project. SMEs represent 38% of all selected entities and receive 21% of total funding, while 14 projects are linked to the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).
The 2025 programme covers 31 topics across four thematic calls and several SME-focused actions, reflecting priorities set in the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030.
Funding allocation includes €675 million for collaborative capability development and €332 million for defence research. More than 15 flagship projects support European Readiness initiatives such as the Drone Defence Initiative, European Air Shield, Eastern Flank Watch, and European Space Shield.
How Leyton Helps You Win EDF Funding
Navigating the European Defence Fund (EDF) requires a thorough understanding of consortium rules, funding mechanics, and evaluation criteria. Leyton provides comprehensive support to organizations throughout the entire process, moving seamlessly from the initial concept to the final grant award.
Partnership & Development
We facilitate consortium building by identifying strategic partners across Member States to ensure eligibility while specifically unlocking SME, Mid-cap, and PESCO bonuses. During proposal development, our team meticulously structures both technical and financial sections to maximize scores across the key pillars of relevance, impact, and implementation quality.
Financial & Regulatory Precision
To ensure funding optimization, we calculate the most advantageous rates based on specific activity types and applicable bonuses. We simultaneously manage the complexities of compliance and security, maintaining strict adherence to third-country control provisions and the necessary Ministry of Defence support requirements for development actions.
Strategic Recognition
We handle STEP alignment by carefully structuring proposals to meet all necessary criteria. This focused approach is designed to secure the STEP Seal recognition, further validating the industrial and strategic value of your project.
