Live, Virtual, Constructive training interoperability – Joint operations and service-specific solutions

The grant opportunity referenced as EDF-2025-RA-SIMTRAIN-LVC-STEP is part of the European Defence Fund, focusing on enhancing interoperability in Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training systems for joint military operations. This opportunity emphasizes the development of multitier solutions aimed at improving training and interoperability within EU Member States and associated countries.

Eligible applicants for this grant include consortia comprised of defense industry entities, such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, research institutes, and public-private partnerships. A minimum of two legal entities from different EU Member States or EDF-associated countries is required, thus fostering collaboration across borders.

The funding is categorized as an EDF Action Grant, specifically focused on research actions, with an indicative budget of €15 million allocated for the topic. This funding is provided as a grant and does not necessitate co-funding, as the EDF generally allows for funding coverage of up to 100% of eligible costs for research actions.

The application process is a single-stage open call with a submission deadline set for October 15, 2025. While specific success rates for the proposals are not stated, it is noted that only one proposal is expected to be funded, albeit there could be flexibility if multiple high-quality proposals are received.

Proposals are invited to focus on integrating knowledge and designs that improve LVC interoperability for military training, addressing existing challenges within Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) contexts. The call aims to enhance capabilities using innovative technologies, including Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and cloud architecture.

Eligible activities may include feasibility studies, knowledge creation, and the demonstration of technological innovations aimed at increasing the effectiveness of training systems. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to establish a European ecosystem for military simulation technology that facilitates persistent, scalable, and flexible training environments, thereby enhancing combat readiness and efficiency for armed forces across associated regions.

Participation requires adherence to specified conditions regarding proposal formats and eligibility criteria, which can be found in the associated call documents and annexes.

This is a call for proposals under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 2025 Research Actions program, specifically targeting Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training interoperability for joint operations and service-specific solutions. The call, titled EDF-2025-RA-SIMTRAIN-LVC-STEP, aims to enhance multi-domain operations (MDO) training in a multi-national context by addressing the challenges and gaps in integrating live, virtual, and constructive simulation technologies. The total budget allocated for this topic is 15,000,000 EUR. The call adopts a single-stage submission process, with the opening date set for February 18, 2025, and the deadline for submissions on October 16, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The expected impact of successful proposals includes structuring a European ecosystem to support simulation technology for military usages, establishing an EU roadmap for MDO LVC, identifying and addressing LVC interoperability challenges, increasing the interoperability of LVC training systems, improving the capabilities of on-board and ground training systems, integrating advanced training concepts with novel technologies, promoting convergence on training standards, harmonizing EDTIB processes, and achieving more effective and sustainable MDO combat training and mission rehearsal.

The objective of this call is to leverage LVC technology to perform cost-efficient multi-domain training, addressing limitations in access to training areas, the number of available real assets, and the need to protect information. The specific objective is to design and evaluate LVC training to ascertain training value to both Live and Virtual participants, addressing interoperability in an MDO context and the implications for current virtual and constructive simulations, as well as the need for common services (Modelling and Simulation As A Service MSaaS).

The scope of the proposals should include investigating solutions in the training and simulation area, identifying current challenges in MDO Integrated LVC in a multi-national context, researching a subset of those challenges for specific use cases, considering concepts and manned and unmanned combat platforms operated by EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries, taking into account the foreseeable evolution of mission systems, ensuring compliance with NATO standards, allowing for extended interaction between collaborative assets, and demonstrating LVC growth capabilities integrating new generation assets and technological novelties.

Eligible activities include those that aim to create and improve knowledge, increase interoperability and resilience, conduct feasibility studies, and design defence products. Mandatory activities include designing and demonstrating technological novelties, customized solutions to enhance training systems, and demonstrating and evaluating a representative MDO combat training scenario. Additional tasks include studies to identify state of the art, research gaps, and interoperability challenges, achieving an increment in the maturity of the LVC training paradigm, and surveying the potential of live training areas in the EU.

The proposed product and technologies should meet functional requirements such as interoperability of heterogeneous systems, common scenario synchronization protocol, interoperability with various training systems, applicability for the design of mission systems, enhanced visual capabilities with eXtended Reality, enhanced training capabilities using new technologies, and increased connectivity between live and virtual platforms.

Applicants must adhere to admissibility conditions regarding proposal page limits and layout, eligibility criteria for participating countries, and financial and operational capacity. The evaluation and award process will follow the guidelines outlined in the call document and the Online Manual.

The call document and annexes provide additional information, including application form templates, budget tables, participant information, lists of infrastructure and resources, declarations, model grant agreements, and relevant regulations and guidelines.

This call seeks to foster a European ecosystem for military simulation technology by addressing interoperability challenges and promoting the integration of LVC training systems. It aims to create a continuous, scalable, and flexible learning environment for persistent training, exercises, and rehearsal, contributing to more effective, efficient, and sustainable multi-domain operations. The call encourages the use of advanced technologies like Big Data, AI, XR, and cloud architecture solutions to enhance training realism and efficiency, ultimately improving the capabilities and interoperability of EU Member States' armed forces.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the context of the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the focus on research actions, eligible applicants could include: SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and other entities from EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries. The text mentions "EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries and industries," suggesting that industries, which would include both SMEs and large enterprises, are eligible.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically "EDF Research Actions implemented via actual cost grants (EDF-2025-RA)" and "EDF Action Grant Budget-Based [EDF-AG]".

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium. The text mentions "consortium" in the context of intellectual property and the consortium agreement being obligatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility for applicants includes EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries. The text explicitly mentions "EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries" multiple times in the context of eligible participants and the scope of the proposed research.

Target Sector: The target sector is defense, specifically focusing on training and simulation technologies for Multi-Domain Operations (MDO). The call targets the development and interoperability of Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training systems. The call topic contributes to the STEP objectives, as defined in STEP Regulation, in the target investment area of deep and digital technologies.

Mentioned Countries: The text mentions EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries. It also mentions NATO in the context of compliance with standards and coalition situations.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is research and design, with a focus on design and demonstration of technological novelties. The eligible activities include creating knowledge, integrating knowledge, studies (feasibility studies), and design, but exclude system prototyping, testing, qualification, and certification. The design phase includes technology demonstrators as eligible activities, which corresponds to TRL 6.

Funding Amount: The funding amount for the specific topic EDF-2025-RA-SIMTRAIN-LVC-STEP is EUR 15,000,000. Other related topics under the same call have varying budget amounts, ranging from EUR 10,000,000 to EUR 39,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The text indicates "Open For Submission" and "single-stage" in the call information.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to fund their research and design activities.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This European Defence Fund (EDF) call, specifically EDF-2025-RA-SIMTRAIN-LVC-STEP, focuses on research actions related to Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training interoperability for joint operations. With a budget of 15 million EUR, this single-stage open call aims to enhance Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) training capabilities within EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries. The call seeks proposals that address challenges in integrating LVC technologies, identifying research gaps, and designing innovative solutions for a continuous, scalable, and flexible learning environment. Eligible activities include creating knowledge, increasing interoperability, conducting feasibility studies, and designing defense products. The projects should consider manned and unmanned combat platforms, standardized effector interfaces, and compliance with NATO standards. The ultimate goal is to develop a European ecosystem supporting simulation technology for military use, establish an EU roadmap for MDO LVC, and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of combat training and mission rehearsal. Applicants must form a consortium and electronically submit their proposals by the deadline of October 16, 2025.