Unmanned systems and counter-unmanned systems
Unmanned systems and counter-unmanned systems supports defence producers in expanding Ukrainian production of unmanned and counter-unmanned systems to shorten lead times and improve supply reliability.
Funder: European Defence Fund
Due Dates: February 16, 2027, 17:00 CET (Submission)
Funding Amounts: Up to EUR 10 million per project; 100% funding rate; normally 3–5 years
Summary: Supports industrial reinforcement to expand Ukrainian production capacity and improve the timely supply of unmanned and counter-unmanned defence systems.
Key Information: Single applicants must be established and managed in Ukraine; consortia must include a Ukrainian entity and cannot exceed 15 legal entities.
Description
Managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), this Ukraine Support Instrument call funds Industrial Reinforcement Actions. It targets swarming, FPV, autonomous and interceptor unmanned systems; electronic warfare-resilient variants, including fibre-optic-controlled systems; and counter-unmanned systems with detection, navigation, jamming, spoofing and spectrum-management functions.
Supported work includes joint production lines, assembly and testing, integration and maintenance capacity, scaling Ukrainian systems, Manufacturing as a Service, and conversion of dual-use heavy industry for production surges. Projects should increase sustainable production capacity in Ukraine, shorten lead times, improve delivery reliability and strengthen EU–Ukraine industrial cooperation. An optional work package can protect production capacity against physical and cyber threats, including drone-enabled disruption.
