Future main battle tank platform systems
Develop future main battle tank systems with enhanced capabilities and advanced technologies under EDF-2026-DA-GROUND-MBT.
This call funds the development of next-generation main battle tanks (MBTs) with improved protection, mobility, firepower, and command systems. It targets innovative technologies including unmanned operation and cost-effective manufacturing. The goal is to maintain technological superiority in land military manoeuvre for EU Member States and associated countries.
Likely relevant for
- Defence technology developers
- Military vehicle manufacturers
- Research institutions in defence and mobility
- Systems integrators for military platforms
- Organisations with expertise in advanced sensors and command systems
Project signals
What it funds
- Development of future main battle tank systems with enhanced operational capabilities
- Technologies for higher multi-spectrum protection and survivability
- Advanced all-terrain mobility and superior firepower
- Long-range threat detection and advanced command and control systems
- Reduced crew operation and unmanned platform capabilities
- Improved logistical sustainability and manufacturing affordability
Expected outcomes
- Next-generation MBT prototypes with tested operational effectiveness
- Technological edge maintained in land military manoeuvre
- Enhanced deployability and sustainability of MBT fleets
Who can apply / participate
- Defence industry companies
- Research organisations
- Consortia including multiple eligible entities
- Check call document for consortium composition rules
- Eligible countries as defined in section 6 of call document
- Refer to section 6 of call document for detailed eligibility conditions
- Specific consortium size and composition requirements
Must check before shortlisting
- Eligibility criteria in section 6 of call document
- Consortium requirements and country eligibility
- Specific submission and evaluation conditions
Money
EUR 125 million allocated for this topic under EDF-2026-DA call.
- Total indicative budget — 125000000EURIndicative budget for the development of future MBT systems.
Application notes
- Single-stage submission model.
- Proposal page limits and layout as per section 5 of call document and Part B of Application Form.
- Eligibility and admissibility conditions in sections 6 and 7 of call document.
- Evaluation and award criteria in sections 8 and 9 of call document.
- Legal and financial set-up detailed in section 10 of call document.
- Call document and annexes available in submission system.
- Prepare proposal according to call document guidelines.
- Submit proposal via Funding & Tenders Portal before deadline.
- Ensure compliance with eligibility and admissibility criteria.
- Follow evaluation and award procedures as described.
- Check eligibility and consortium rules carefully.
- Review all call document sections for compliance.
- Budget and funding rates subject to confirmation in call document.
Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 7 Jul 2026, 12:12 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.
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Official source text
Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.
Topic description
Scope: Main battle tanks (MBTs), with their unique combination of protection, mobility and firepower, remain a key element of land military manoeuvre, particularly in the context of conventional warfare. Existing MBT fleets in EU Member States and EDF associated countries are ageing, and new MBT technologies need to be developed and their operational effectiveness in all future scenarios thoroughly tested in order to maintain the current technological edge. This topic therefore aims to follow up and complement previous activities for the development of future MBT systems. These will need to be based on enhanced operational capabilities in all kinds of environments, e.g. in terms of higher multi-spectrum protection and survivability, advanced all-terrain mobility, superior firepower, long-range threat detection and advanced command and control systems, the ability to operate with a reduced crew and, in the future, unmanned, improved logistical sustainability and affordability of manufacturing costs, which are key to the ability to deploy large numbers of platforms in a short time if required. This topic contributes to the STEP objectives as defined in the STEP Regulation in the target investment area of defence technologies. Targeted types of activities: Studies, design, system prototyping, testing and qualification, not excluding upstream and downstream activities eligible for development actions. Indicative budget: EUR 125 000 000 for this topic under the EDF-2026-DA call. Indicative number of proposals to be funded: One proposal is to be funded for this topic.
Conditions and documents
Conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
described in section 5 of the call document.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries
described in section 6 of the call document.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
described in section 6 of the call document.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in section 7 of the call document.
5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.
5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
described in section 9 of the call document.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in section 4 of the call document.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
described in section 10 of the call document.
Call document and annexes:
Application form templates
Standard application form (EDF) — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Detailed budget table (EDF DA)
List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources (EDF)
Cofinancing declaration (EDF DA, DA LS AND ASAP)
Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF)
Harmonised capability declaration (EDF DA AND DA LS)
Declaration on procurement intent and common specifications (EDF DA AND DA LS)
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Additional documents:
EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI)
Guidelines on FSTP implementation - WP2026
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support information
For help related to this call, please contact DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – Submission of proposals . IT Helpdesk – Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. Online Manual – Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and evaluation to reporting on your ongoing project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.
Raw budget overview
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