EDA’s Future Land Systems (FLS) study final report was presented to the Member-States and relevant stakeholders at EDA headquarters on 6 December 2012. The FLS study was carried out by an industry consortium of 17 European defence industries, all members of the land sectorial group of ASD (ELDIG), managed by BAE Systems.
At the meeting participating Member States, EU institutes, research centres, academia and relevant industries including SME’s, who had supported the study through its entire schedule, had the opportunity to exchange views on the different topics addressed by the study including the final proposals and recommendations.
The main deliverable of the FLS study is a Roadmap and Implementation Plan to be used as the baseline to enable the land related European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) to meet future military capability requirements in a time frame up to 2035.
Member States and EDA will be given the opportunity to review the results and evaluate the proposed recommendations, identifying actions needed to implement the proposed Roadmap.
This study is part of EDA’s work on identifying the Key Industrial Capabilities to be preserved or developed in the EDTIB to determine future European capabilities.
Future land systems study partners and work programmes
The study includes contributions from the continent’s major manufacturers: BAE Systems (UK/Sweden), Cassidian (Germany/France), Diehl BGT Systems (Germany), Expal (Spain/Denmark/Italy/Bulgaria), General Dynamics European Land Systems (Spain/Austria/UK), IVECO Defence Vehicles (Italy), Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (Germany), Marshall Land Systems (UK), MBDA (UK/France/Germany), Thales (UK/France/Germany/Netherlands), Safran (France), Saab (Sweden), Rheinmetall Defence (Germany/Switzerland/Austria), Patria (Finland), OTO Melara (Italy), Nexter (France) and Navantia (Spain).
The work of the study has been organised into five work packages (WP).
- WP 1 Capability Analysis with Thales as WP leader. The task for WP1 was to identify key military capability requirements in the land environment over the next 30 years in order to determine the key industrial implications for the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). A Draft Capability Analysis Report has now been delivered and updates are on-going to Member States, EDA and relevant stakeholders such as Finabel and European Union Military Staff (EUMS).
- WP 2 State of Play Analysis with Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions as WP leader. The task has been wide-ranging, incorporating a global analysis, a determination of key relevant technology sectors, an industrial landscaping exercise, an analysis of past, present and planned activities across Europe and a determination of the civil trends that will have tangible effects. A draft State of Play Report has already been submitted and is now in the evaluation and comment/feedback stage.
- WP 3 Analysis phase with BAE Systems Bofors as WP leader. Early conclusions from this WP indicate that the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) is indeed fragmented but has acceptable skills and capacity to provide EU with the required capabilities in the near- and mid-term. In the long term, however, the study foresees a loss of capacity, given that the technology, industrial and programme areas are not being handled adequately. Much effort requires to be invested in the area of ‘key,’ ‘pacing’ and ‘emerging’ technologies to leverage effect on the long term evolution of the market and the group of ‘generic’ technologies must be improved, not only to ensure interoperability but also to secure effect on near, mid- and long-term prospects.
- WP 4 Roadmap and Implementation plan with MBDA as WP Leader, a phase of the project due to reach conclusion in the last quarter of 2012.. The process is driven by the output of WP3 and the shortfalls in the EDITB identified therein. A detailed questionnaire and interview programme, due to have been completed in early October 2012, will also contribute substantively to the evolution of the roadmap.
- WP 5 Pilot Projects and Programmes with Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions as WP leader. The Future Land Systems project includes a tangible demonstration of benefits in the form of a recommended list of pilot programmes for implementation immediately after the conclusion of the study.