On 5 and 6 September 2019 the kick-off meeting of the TALOS project is held at the European Defence Agency (EDA). TALOS is one of the three projects selected in the 2018 call for proposals for the EU Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) in the field of defence research. A grant agreement for TALOS worth €5.4 million was signed on 26 July 2019 between EDA and the winning consortium led by CILAS.
The Research Action on the topic ‘Toward a European high-power effector’ called TALOS (Tactical Advanced Laser Optical System) was selected following an EU-wide call for proposals organised by EDA closing on 28 June 2018. The action focuses on a research and technological development (R&T) project to design and build a European high power laser effector, to become available for defence applications within the next decade. The winning consortium encompasses a total of 16 participants from nine countries. More information on the consortium can be found in the TALOS project page.
EDA Chief Executive underlined at the kick-off meeting that the scope of the TALOS project was in line with the 2018 Capability Development Plan priorities. In addition, the relevance of the topic is further confirmed by a dedicated Technology Building Block on Laser Weapon Systems, in the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA).
The TALOS project is part of the Preparatory Action, aimed at testing the mechanisms that can prepare, organise and deliver a variety of EU-funded cooperative defence research and technology development (R&T) activities to improve the competitiveness and innovation in the European defence industry and to stimulate cooperation amongst R&T actors in the EU Member States.
The signature of this grant agreement continues the path towards EU defence integration and paves the way for developing a future European Defence Fund, especially its research dimension, as part of the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027).
The PADR implementation is run by the European Defence Agency (EDA) following the mandate via a Delegation Agreement between the European Commission and EDA signed on 31 May 2017. By this agreement the European Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects to be launched within the PADR.
TALOS kick-off meeting © EDA
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