site.btaBulgarian Researchers Participate in First European Defence Project

Brussels, December 22 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Bulgaria, France, Italy, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom will be participating
in the first research defence project under the European Defence Fund.

The project will receive a 1 million euro EU grant and will use big data analysis to examine large volumes of technological information, looking to identify future disruptive technologies and recommend future defence research themes.

Under the research strand of the European Defence Fund, 90 million euro will be allocated for defence research grants fully and directly funded from the EU budget between 2017 and 2019.

The technology foresight project will use big data analysis to examine large volumes of technological information, looking to identify future disruptive technologies and recommend future defence research themes.

The next research grants in the areas of drones and protection and equipment for soldiers will be signed in the coming weeks. The research strand is complemented by a capability development strand, under which the EU will create incentives for member states to cooperate on joint development of defence equipment and technology through co-financing from the EU budget (500 million euro for 2019 and 2020).

The European Defence Fund was announced by President Jean Claude Juncker in September 2016 and launched in June 2017.