Publish Date : 03-Sep-2019
The Ministry of Defense has signed a letter of intent regarding Latvia's planned involvement in the first project of the newly created European Defense Fund, which aims to develop and further develop modular unmanned ground systems.
Participation in this project will provide the Latvian defense and security industry with a unique opportunity to further develop cross-border cooperation with leading European and global military industry companies. In turn, the National Armed Forces with Latvia's involvement in the project will provide comprehensive access to the set of technologies to be developed, including their practical testing and possible adaptation to the specific needs of the National Armed Forces, emphasizes Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks.
The application for the European Defense Fund is based on the initial initiative of the Estonian company Milrem Robotics, which brings together in a single consortium developers from Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain for a wide range of communications, unmanned, cyber security, command, sensor and other innovative systems. Latvian industry in the consortium is represented by a group of companies and research institutions under the leadership of the company Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT).
This is an opportunity for Latvian companies not only to obtain additional funding for innovation, but also to gain new competencies and cooperation with international companies. Along with 4G and 5G mobile technologies, the defense industry is also interested in using mobile network solutions. Latvia has a strong position in this area - we are in the top three in the world in terms of mobile Internet consumption. Together with our partners, it is a good platform for us to create and pilot innovative security solutions, says LMT President Juris Binde.
Under the terms of the newly created European Defense Fund, an industry consortium of companies or research institutions from at least three Member States can apply for support from the Fund. An additional eligibility criterion for the projects of the Fund is the agreement on common technical requirements by the defense sectors of the Member States represented by the consortium, as well as a commitment to further project support and exploitation of its results.
With the signing of a letter of intent by the Defense Ministers of Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain for a modular unmanned terrestrial project, the Ministry of Defense has committed to provide the industry consortium with the necessary additional support guarantees through co-financing or practical testing. The amount of the Ministry of Defense's contribution to the project will directly depend on the amount of co-financing granted by the European Commission to representatives of the Latvian Industry Consortium.
In parallel with this project, the Ministry of Defense is continuing to explore opportunities for Latvian industry to participate in other European Defense Fund projects, including those initiated by Latvian companies themselves. The purpose of the European Defense Fund is to promote investment in joint research, technological development, production and cooperation in the joint purchase of defense equipment by the Member States of the European Union.
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