Autonomous and automatic air-to-air refuelling
Open
Status as published by the data source.
Scope:
Air-to-air refuelling enhances military operations by enabling long-range missions. Refuelling currently requires manual coordination between tanker operators and receiving pilots, which is complex and labour-intensive. Automated air-to-air refuelling solutions are expected to reduce workload and increase safety for both crews, while also being essential for future unmanned aerial systems.
The objective of this topic is to explore the development of sensor systems, in particular hardware and sensor fusion, to enable accurate relative navigation between tanker, receiver and refuelling systems, even in adverse conditions. In addition, enhanced optical sensors, advanced image processing, flight control algorithms and pilot assistance interfaces will play a crucial role in improving the docking and refuelling process, increasing safety and time efficiency.
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: Integrating knowledge, studies and design, not excluding upstream activities eligible for research actions.
Indicative budget: EUR 20 000 000 for this topic under the EDF-2026-RA call.
Indicative number of proposals to be funded: Several proposals may be funded for this topic.
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- (time not stated)
- Opens
- Published
- Country
- European Union (EU-wide)
- Programme
- European Defence Fund (EDF)
- Official page
- Open at the source portal
Other calls under European Defence Fund (EDF)
- Key electronic components
- Platforms and end-products
- Air and missile defence systems
- C5ISR and other space-related products
- Unmanned systems and counter-unmanned systems
- Ground and naval platforms and systems
- Support for the functioning of SEAPs, including for the purpose of establishing, managing and maintaining defence industrial readiness pools
- Missiles, ammunition and bombs
All calls under this programme
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Where this came from
- Source document
- https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/data/topicDetails/edf-2026-ra-air-a4r.json
- Document fingerprint
575e5234beee7c9c(SHA-256, first 16 hex characters)- Retrieved
- First recorded here
What has changed
- url first recorded as https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/edf-2026-ra-air-a4r on
- currency first recorded as EUR on
- amount_max first recorded as 0.00 on
- amount_min first recorded as 0.00 on
- deadline first recorded as 2026-09-29 on
- opens_on first recorded as 2026-02-11 on
- published_on first recorded as 2026-02-11 on
- status_basis first recorded as source_status on
- status first recorded as open on
- title first recorded as Autonomous and automatic air-to-air refuelling on
Data source
© European Union, 2026. Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU — CC BY 4.0.
Retrieved from the source on .
The source last updated this document on Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:26:33 GMT.
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