HYDEF

HYPERSONIC DEFENSE

HYDEF is a cutting-edge European defence initiative aimed at advancing hypersonic defence systems to enhance European security and strategic autonomy. Here, you will find essential information about us, project timeline, structure of the project, funding & support, our objectives, consortium, news & events and previous communication activities.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or OCCAR. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Introducing HYDEF

The “European Hypersonic Defence Interceptor” (HYDEF) project is a European collaborative initiative under the European Defence Fund (EDF).

It focuses on the development of next-generation defence capabilities against hypersonic threats. The project brings together leading European organisations in defence, aerospace, and technology to design and prototype innovative interception solutions.

The HYDEF project will develop a European interceptor targeting the 2035+ threats, weapon and sensor systems. The project will result in the concept of a cost-effective endo-atmospheric interceptor able to operate in different air levels encompassing new aerodynamic and actuator system for high maneuverability, highly agile guidance concepts, and advanced sensor/seeker systems.

HYDEF aims to contribute to European strategic independence by fostering technological advancements that address emerging security challenges in the global defence landscape.

EDF OVerview

Call Title

PROTECTION AGAINST HIGH-VELOCITY AERIAL THREATS

Topic Title

ENDO-ATMOSPHERIC INTERCEPTOR – CONCEPT PHASE

Types of Activities

STUDY & DESIGN

MORE INFO: EU HYDEF FACTSHEET

12

Entities

Participating

5

EU member states

Involved

110M€

Total Costs

Estimated

100M€

EU contribution

Maximum

36

Months

Duration

what HYDEF IS ALL ABOUT

The HYDEF project aims to:

Develop advanced defence mechanisms capable of countering hypersonic threats.
Enhance European defence capabilities and strategic autonomy.
Promote technological innovation in missile interception and tracking.
Strengthen cooperation among European defence industries and research institutions.
Provide a roadmap for future operational deployment of hypersonic defence systems.

Gap covered by the HYDEF

HYDEF IN ACTION: MISSION SIMULATION

Structure of the project

The project is organized into 9 work pillars, categorised into study-oriented and design-oriented tasks.

The study-oriented WPs focus on research, threat assessment, and theoretical advancements, while the design-oriented WPs are dedicated to developing practical solutions, prototyping, and validating key technologies.

The goal is to achieve technology maturity levels high enough to transition into the next phase of the project, bringing hypersonic defence capabilities closer to operational deployment.

project Funding & support

HYDEF is a project co-funded by the European Union, under the European Defence Fund, and Belgium, Germany, Norway, Poland and Spain, as participating states.

The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement; OCCAR) has been entrusted the management of the HYDEF project by the European Commission (EC) and the participating states.

This project demonstrates the EU’s and European states’ commitment to enhancing European security and defence capabilities. This initiative aligns with the broader European defence strategy to reduce dependency on external defence systems and strengthen EU technological sovereignty.

For further details on EDF and its support mechanisms, you can visit the EDF official website

For further details on the activities of OCCAR within HYDEF, you can visit OCCAR’s official website: https://www.occar.int/our-work/programmes/hydef