29 Sep 2021
The WSRF provides complex, general and directed energy weapons R&T planning and delivery in the UK and is a key follow on funding vehicle for research projects started under the CW ITP. Therefore the development of links between these two programmes is key to ensuring the efficient functioning of the UK Complex Weapons research pipeline, and further development and exploration of the CW ITP Projects.
The briefing will provide an overview of the CW ITP framework and its various design features, including the Enduring Technical Areas (ETAs), Dynamic Challenges and Disruptors, an overview of the research strategy, and information on how to get involved with the framework. This will be one of the first face to face networking opportunities for UK Industry, SMEs and academia to ask questions directly regarding the CW ITP, and will continue to grow the engagement across the research community.
16 Jul 2021
MBDA has been awarded a contract by France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to lead the new Complex Weapons Innovation Technology Partnership (CW ITP).*
The new four-year contract follows on from the work of the Materials and Components for Missiles Innovation Technology Partnership (MCM ITP) over the last 13 years to continue developing generation-after-next missile technology.
The Governments of both France – through its Defence Innovation Agency - and the UK – with the Integrated Review – have shown a commitment to harness the opportunities innovation can present for the benefit of their Defence capabilities. The CW ITP enables both counties to co-operate in that endeavour and solve the challenges future capabilities will need to overcome.
The CW ITP’s new framework will see it focus on five enduring technical areas (ETAs) identified as unique and critical to the field of complex weapons:
The development funding provided by CW ITP in these areas will help sustain France and the UK‘s industrial and scientific base.
A renewed group of French and UK companies, split equally across the two countries, will lead these ETAs.
CW ITP will also introduce greater collaboration across these areas through ‘Dynamic Challenges’ that will look at technologies with applications across them, as well as any new potential technology areas.
It will also look to fund more ‘Disruptive Innovation’ through short, three to six month, technology projects that whilst at the smaller end of funding, carry a high risk of not being successful but high reward if they are.
Additionally, CW ITP has increased the funding to research activities of French and UK SME’s and academia through efficiency savings on costs of managing the projects.
Éric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “I am delighted that a new of era of the Innovation Technology Partnership is beginning with this contract. MCM ITP was an excellent example of Anglo-French co-operation, and the CW ITP will no doubt continue in this endeavour, showcasing that our countries remain committed to working together on future defence technologies.”
Ed Dodwell, the Head of CW ITP, said: “The importance of CW ITP’s cross defence collaboration is its facility to match up the evolution of ideas with their exploitation. Technology on its own, without a concept for use becomes redundant. Concepts that never materialise beyond that are opportunities missed. CW ITP addresses this by having the best experts, working together, linking up the technology push of innovation with the market pull of complex weapons.”
CW ITP will have an annual budget of 12m euros - 50% from Dstl/DGA and 50% from Industry - to fund up to 30 projects every two years. These research activities will focus on developing technologies with a low readiness level (up to TRL 3 or 4).
* Dstl signed the contract on behalf of the two nations.
23 Apr 2021
En novembre 2020, à Lorient (Morbihan), la ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, a présenté la stratégie Innovation du ministère. Un projet ambitieux et un effort budgétaire sans précédent : un milliard d’euros annuels dès 2022.
La ministre des Armées s’est rendue le 8 septembre 2020 sur la base des fusiliers marins et commandos de Lorient. Objectif de cette visite, l’inauguration de nouvelles infrastructures dans le cadre de la loi de programmation militaire (LPM) 2019-2025 et la présentation de la stratégie Innovation des armées.
La LPM 2019-2025 prévoit d'augmenter de 25% les crédits annuels consacrés à l’innovation, pour atteindre 1 milliard d'euros en 2022. « Une priorité absolue pour notre autonomie stratégique », précise Florence Parly. Une grande partie de ces investissements est dédiée au développement de technologies de rupture, nécessaires pour la préparation des futures capacités de nos forces armées. Au total, en 2020, 821 millions d’euros seront consacrés à l'innovation.
Definnov, un fonds d’investissement de 200 millions d’euros
La ministre des Armées a annoncé la création, d’ici à la fin de l’année, du fonds d’investissement Definnov, en coopération avec BpiFrance. Doté de 200 millions d’euros, il sera dédié au développement de technologies duales (civiles et militaires) et transversales, par le financement en fonds propres d’entreprises innovantes. Ce fonds s’ajoute à Definvest, dôté de 100 millions d’euros.
En 2019, l'énergie, l'intelligence artificielle, l'espace ou encore la cyberdéfense constituaient les axes d’effort prioritaires pour le ministère des Armées. En 2020, priorité au domaine hypersonique, à la lutte anti-drones, aux armes à énergie dirigée (lasers, armes électromagnétiques), aux nouvelles technologies dans le domaine des capteurs et des composants critiques ou encore aux technologies quantiques.
Avec la « Red Team », cap sur l’anticipation
Tous ces domaines figurent dans le document de référence et d'orientation de l'innovation de Défense 2020 (DrOID), qui fixe les objectifs du ministère des Armées en matière d'innovation (document à télécharger ci-dessous). Parallèlement, le ministère poursuivra son effort d'investissement en recherche et développement (R&D) de long terme et son ouverture à l'innovation civile et à l'écosystème des startups pour saisir les opportunités d'intégration rapide de nouvelles technologies à forte valeur ajoutée.
L’autre priorité de la stratégie Innovation confiée à l’Agence innovation de défense (AID) : le travail de prospective et d'anticipation, destiné à préparer les guerres du futur. A ce titre, l'agence pilote la « Red Team », un projet à long terme lancé en 2019 avec l’Etat-major des armées, la direction générale de l’armement et la direction générale des relations internationales et de la stratégie. « La Red Team, c’est peut-être le symbole de l’ouverture du ministère des Armées en matière d’innovation, explique Florence Parly. C’est renverser la table. Accepter de changer de perspective et de voir bouleverser ses convictions. » Cette équipe d’auteurs de science-fiction est chargée d’imaginer des scénarios de menaces et de conflictualité à l’horizon 2030-2060. En clair, envisager des hypothèses valides et orienter les efforts d’innovation du ministère en imaginant des solutions adaptées.
28 Jul 2020
A key research framework in the UK the WSRF succeeds the WSTC. This framework is focused on identifying and developing technologies at higher Technology Readiness Levels (TLR) than the CW ITP, and is a key element of the overall UK S&T Strategy for the development of complex weapons technology. This also means that the WSRF a key exploiter of initial research conducted under the CW ITP, and is one of a number of logical next funding source for research in the UK.
28 Jul 2020
The recently published UK S&T strategy has bee one of the key UK sources or influencing and directing the CW ITP Strategy. There is a lot of overlap between the S&T strategy key technologies and a number of the priority research area under the CW ITP. These include:
The S&T strategy also highlights the importance of early phase research in preparing the ground work, and ensurrng capability is being developed for technologies that may be instrumental to future defence equipment. And is therefore focused on Generation After Next systems, a key points picked up in the CW ITP strategy and mission.
MBDA UK Limited, registration number 3144919, whose registered address is at Six Hills Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2DA, England
Copyright CW ITP © 2025
