All items · Sensors & ISR

A mid-size EO/IR framework from FMI covering three range classes plus installation, maintenance and training — a repeatable maritime surveillance reference. Relevant to EO/IR camera and gimbal makers and integrators able to service Danish naval vessels locally. Do: Submit a bid via the FMI/TED notice by 17 August 2026 if you can cover lightweight, medium- and long-range EO/IR systems plus Danish in-service support; otherwise approach likely bidders as a payload subsupplier.

A live, lotted C-UAS buy by the Spanish Army's logistics command for deployed forces — small in value but a route into Spanish operational C-UAS inventory. Relevant to detection/jamming/interceptor vendors with Spanish presence or a local partner/integrator. Do: Download the lot specifications from the Spanish Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público / TED notice 538708-2026 and submit or team with a Spanish integrator before the 19 August 2026 deadline.

A single-supplier, four-authority Finnish CBRN detection buy worth ~EUR 11m with a 2030 options tail — one of the larger European IMS detector frameworks. Relevant to CBRN detector manufacturers (IMS-based) with factory maintenance capability and to distributors able to support Finnish authorities. Do: If you manufacture IMS-based portable chemical detectors, submit the request to participate to the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command via the TED notice by 21 August 2026 and line up two tender samples plus a factory-maintenance offer for the RFQ stage.

A single buy of 16 ROVs by an Italian law-enforcement/military corps is a sizeable underwater-robotics order in a market usually served by a handful of suppliers. Relevant to ROV/UUV manufacturers and integrators able to bid in Italian and provide local training and maintenance support. Do: If you build inspection/light-work-class ROVs, download the tender pack from the Guardia di Finanza portal and submit an Italian-language bid with a local service partner by 24 August 2026.

The Security Open Call is UKDI's recurring, broad-scope entry point for non-incumbents into UK security/defence funding, with a two-stage sift rather than a full tender. Relevant to early-stage security and dual-use tech firms (sensing, cyber, AI, C-UAS) able to submit a short Stage 1 proposal in under two weeks. Do: Download the competition document and submit a Stage 1 proposal via the UKDI submission portal before 12:00 BST on 27 August 2026.

Recurring, low-effort entry point into UK Home Office/NPSA budgets for near-market security tech, with challenge owners screening at Stage 1. Relevant to cyber, sensing/screening, AI-vision and XR firms with a working prototype and a UK delivery entity. Do: Read the competition document and file a Stage 1 overview proposal via the UKDI portal by 27 August 2026, mapping your prototype explicitly to one Home Office or NPSA challenge area; otherwise target the next cycle.

The first UKDI-branded open call after the DASA transition — a live signal that the UK's £1.6bn innovation budget is now flowing, and a fast (~£350k) entry point for security-tech SMEs including EU firms with a UK entity.

A small but clearance-gated MoD infrastructure-security buy: the ORNISS ASI requirement effectively limits bidders to cleared Romanian integrators or foreign firms with a security-agreement route. Relevant to physical security/CCTV and perimeter-detection integrators with Romanian presence or a cleared local partner. Do: If you supply perimeter detection, access control or CCTV integration, team with an ORNISS-cleared Romanian integrator and submit stage-I qualification documents by 28 August 2026, sending clarification requests at least 9 days before the deadline.

A rare large, lot-split base-security sustainment framework from the Spanish Army covering both national installations and deployed theatres, giving regional integrators a route in lot by lot rather than competing nationally. Relevant to installers/integrators of CCTV, access control, perimeter intrusion detection and their maintenance service providers with Spanish presence and security clearances. Do: Pick the lots matching your geographic coverage and bid via the Spanish Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público before the 31 August 2026 deadline, ensuring clearance and Spanish-entity requirements are met.

A direct, open procurement by Spain's new space agency for archive VHR imagery — accessible to satellite imagery providers and resellers/value-added distributors with access to sub-metre optical constellations. Relevant to EO data suppliers and geospatial SMEs able to guarantee 82% national coverage from 2024/2025 archives. Do: Check your 2024/2025 VHR archive coverage of Spain and submit a bid via the Spanish public sector contracting platform to the Dirección de la Agencia Espacial Española by 31 August 2026.

Recurring UKDI/UKSA/Dstl space innovation vehicle with a small but accessible pot, suited to space start-ups and SMEs in ISR, SSA and satellite subsystems; Stage 1 has already closed, so only invited bidders can still act this round. Do: If invited to Stage 2, submit via the UKDI Online Submission Service before 12:00 BST on 1 September 2026; otherwise register an account now and watch for the next Space to Innovate drop.

Recurring, well-funded UK route for small space-defence R&D projects, now explicitly covering satellite self-protection and anti-jam/EM resilience. Relevant to space payload, SDA and EW-resilience developers plus academic groups with TRL 3-6 prototypes. Do: If you passed Stage 1, submit your Stage 2 proposal via the UKDI competition portal by 1 September 2026 and route process questions to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk.

Rare chance to test prototypes against real national armed forces with live jamming and flight windows, plus €120k prizes and an EDA-coordinated follow-on track. Directly relevant to UAS/swarm autonomy, RF seeker and ground-sensor developers at TRL where hardware can fly in November. Do: Register for the 25 August info session and submit an application via the DG DEFIS BraveTechEU page before 6 September 2026, reviewing the Germany and Romania Rules of Contest to pick the right site.

A rare single-unit USV buy by the Spanish Navy at Rota under standard EU procurement rules rather than a defence-specific procedure, meaning non-incumbent bidders can compete directly. Relevant to USV builders and maritime autonomy integrators with modular payload architectures and Spanish delivery/training capacity. Do: Download the tender pack via the TED notice and submit a bid through Spain's Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público by 7 September 2026, evidencing an already-validated modular USV plus Spanish-language training and support.

This is a mid-size open tender for specialised air navigation/sensor infrastructure from a named national air force, relevant to firms making TACAN or similar radio navigation aid systems. Do: Register on the TED/Portuguese eProcurement portal and submit a bid for the TACAN system tender before 7 September 2026.

A €34.8m coast-guard UAS buy is one of the larger European maritime surveillance drone procurements open to direct bidding rather than defence-exempt routes. Relevant to UAS manufacturers and maritime ISR payload integrators able to offer certified BVLOS platforms plus training and maintenance services in Greece. Do: Download the full tender pack from ESIDIS/Greek national portal via the TED notice and line up a Greek in-country service/maintenance partner before the 7 September 2026 bid deadline.

A single four-nation framework worth ~EUR 352m consolidates Nordic camouflage/signature-management demand as multispectral sensor threats grow post-NATO accession. Relevant to textile and multispectral camouflage manufacturers, coatings/MCS-kit makers and IR/radar signature material specialists with Nordic-area production. Do: Submit a Stage 1 request to participate via TED/FMV by 7 September 2026, evidencing multispectral camouflage material expertise and production/repair capacity in or near the Nordic region — otherwise approach likely prime bidders as a material or sewing/repair subcontractor.

A €5m police LIDAR contract with a long-term calibration/maintenance tail — relevant to laser rangefinder/EO sensor makers and their Irish service partners, not to defence primes. Do: If you build handheld LIDAR/laser speed devices or can provide Irish-based calibration support, download the T.071.2026 pack via eTenders/TED and submit by 11 September 2026.

A rare open Irish naval EO/IR sustainment contract of modest size, likely tied to existing shipboard electro-optical directors. Relevant to EO/IR sensor makers and marine electronics service SMEs able to field engineers to Irish naval bases. Do: Download the tender pack from eTenders/TED and submit a bid by 15 September 2026, evidencing EO/IR director maintenance experience and Irish-based field service capacity.

A rare Romanian law-enforcement OSINT/darknet investigation platform buy of over EUR 3m under the defence-security directive, with no incumbent named. Relevant to cyber-intelligence and OSINT/dark-web monitoring vendors and integrators able to supply turnkey hardware plus analytics and support in Romania. Do: Register in SEAP/SICAP, download the tender pack and submit clarification questions on hardware/analytics requirements at least 9 days before the 16 September 2026 bid deadline; line up a Romanian integrator partner for delivery and support.

A long-tail framework (up to 22 years for spares) for shipboard damage-control equipment, giving a small supplier a durable Swedish naval position. Relevant to gas-detection instrument makers and firefighting/ventilation equipment suppliers able to provide ILS, training and Swedish-standard documentation. Do: Download the tender documents via TED notice 458817-2026 and prepare a lot-specific bid (gas detectors and/or PPV fans) with ILS, spares and training pricing before the 16 September 2026 deadline.

A fast, recurring MoD route to money that explicitly prioritises manufacturability and scale over lab demos, with seeker and C-UAS sensor work named as priorities. Relevant to UK-registered drone, seeker, EO/IR and maritime autonomy firms able to hit TRL 6 in four months. Do: Contact your local UKDI Innovation Partner now and submit via the UKDI Online Submission Service before 12:00 BST on 22 September 2026, with a credible manufacture-and-scale plan.

This is the EDF's most open, SME/research-organisation-reserved slot — no thematic constraint and a modest EUR 5m cap, making it the realistic entry point for small consortia rather than prime-led megaprojects. Relevant to defence-tech scale-ups and dual-use firms (AI, autonomy, sensors, energy) that can bring a civil-developed technology to TRL 4+ in defence. Do: Assemble a small cross-border SME/RTO consortium and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026, checking eligible-country and ownership-control conditions in section 6 of the call document.

A single EUR 100m award means one large prime-led consortium will take the whole topic, so slots are allocated now, not at submission. Relevant to propulsion, seeker/tracking, airframe-structure and lethality specialists able to slot into an existing European interceptor consortium. Do: If you supply seekers, solid propulsion, separation mechanisms or hypersonic-target tracking, pitch a work package to the likely consortium leads immediately and register in the EDF Submission System before the 29 September 2026 deadline — do not attempt to lead.

A single-award EUR 10m research topic in a narrow niche — hydroacoustics/CFD modelling and sonar integration — so the winning consortium will likely be built around a handful of naval research institutes and submarine designers. Relevant to hydrodynamics/CFD software houses, acoustic test facilities and sonar subsystem SMEs with EU-based ownership. Do: If you do CFD/hydroacoustic modelling or sonar integration, contact naval research institutes and submarine primes now to secure a work package before the 29 September 2026 EDF deadline rather than leading a bid.

A rare EDF topic where materials and textile specialists — not platform primes — are the core technology owners, driven by Ukraine-derived requirements for protection against drones. Relevant to smart-textile, metamaterial and multispectral signature-management SMEs, and to soldier-system integrators building the consortium. Do: If you hold multispectral camouflage, e-textile or signature-management IP, contact soldier-system integrators forming EDF MATCOMP consortia now to secure a work package before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A single large EDF award of up to EUR 90m continues an existing MSAS consortium lineage, so incumbents from EDF-2022-DA-NAVAL-MSAS are the likely core team. Relevant for USV autonomy-stack developers, naval sensor/mission-module and maritime comms suppliers in EU/Norway wanting a work package. Do: Identify the EDF-2022-DA-NAVAL-MSAS consortium leads and pitch a specific work package (autonomy, mission module, data management) before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

A single large EDF award in aircraft survivability, following on from earlier EDF self-protection work, so an incumbent consortium is likely already forming. Relevant to makers of missile-warning/laser-warning sensors, RF and IR countermeasures, DIRCM, EW libraries and mission-computer software with EU-eligible ownership. Do: Contact likely EDF airborne-EW consortium leads now to secure a work-package (sensor, countermeasure or threat-classification software) rather than leading, and prepare ownership-control and cofinancing declarations before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A single EUR 24m award for cognitive EW under the STEP deep/digital label means one consortium will likely take the whole topic, so slot allocation happens now. Relevant to EW/SIGINT houses and AI signal-processing SMEs able to plug into a prime-led RESM/CESM work package. Do: Identify the likely EDF EW consortium leaders (large ESM/EW integrators) and pitch a specific AI signal-classification or RESM/CESM work package before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

A single EUR 125m award means one large prime-led consortium (following on from previous EU MBT work) will absorb the whole topic. Relevant for subsystem makers in active protection, EO/IR and long-range sensing, turret/autoloader, hybrid drives and crew-reduction autonomy software who need a work package rather than a lead role. Do: Identify the likely MBT consortium lead (existing EU MBT development action participants) and pitch a specific work package — armour, APS, sensors or autonomy — well before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

This is the SME-reserved, non-thematic EDF window — the rare EDF topic where a small consortium of SMEs can lead rather than sit under a prime, with a manageable EUR 6m ceiling. Relevant to defence-tech scale-ups and dual-use SMEs (drones, sensors, AI, energy, digital) with TRL 4+ prototypes seeking qualification/testing funding. Do: Download the call document from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, confirm ownership-control and eligible-country conditions, and line up a cross-border SME consortium plus the harmonised capability and procurement-intent declarations from Member States before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A fresh EDF topic for a light attack/ISR turboprop with an explicit counter-drone interception role, at research-action stage where no platform incumbent is locked in. Relevant to light aircraft OEMs, mission-system and EO/IR payload integrators, and gun/rocket pod or C-UAS effector suppliers in EDF-eligible states. Do: Contact likely EDF-2026-RA coordinators (European light turboprop OEMs and mission-system integrators) now to secure a work package on FMLA studies/design before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

A single EUR 20m award for a multidomain radar demonstrator spanning both hypersonic and counter-UAV detection — a rare consolidated EDF sensor slot likely to attract large radar houses. Relevant to radar front-end, waveform/signal-processing and AI-for-radar specialists, plus C-UAS sensor SMEs able to take a work package. Do: Identify the likely lead radar integrators bidding this topic and pitch a waveform/AI signal-processing or antenna work package before the 29 September 2026 EDF deadline via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

A EUR 30m EDF topic explicitly requiring reuse of civil EU-funded results — unusual leverage for UUV, hydroacoustic sensor and subsea comms firms that have Horizon/EMFAF heritage. Relevant to UUV/AUV builders, sonar and fibre-sensing SMEs, and maritime C2 software houses in eligible EU/Norway entities. Do: Identify your prior civil EU project results and IP rights, then pitch a work package to seabed-protection consortium leads (naval primes/RTOs) well before the 29 September 2026 EDF deadline.