The European Defense Agency (EDA) has started the CROWN project as part of preparatory action on defense research (PADR) of the European Union. CROWN stands for Combined Radar, cOmmunications and electronic Warfare fuNctions for military applications. The aim is to develop a multifunctional high-frequency system based on AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Radar) technology, which can be used for various areas of application.
The aim is to design, develop and test a compact, lightweight multifunctional high-frequency system without restrictions for the end user, as the EDA announced. With possession of this technology it should be possible to recognize how and for what purpose the electromagnetic spectrum is used in a battle and to ensure that own forces use it themselves as needed and at the same time withhold the use from the enemy.
The CROWN project
The two interconnected activities commissioned with CROWN include, on the one hand, the evaluation and recommendations on critical key technologies for the development of future European RF-AESA multifunctional systems, the creation of a roadmap and a prioritization as well as the avoidance of dependencies on non-EU suppliers and for other development activities at system and component level.
CROWN aims to lay the foundation for the development and construction of a multifunctional radio frequency system based on next-generation AESA technology for a wide range of applications. The results are to be used without end-user restrictions in TRL 7 (Technology Readines Level) within the next decade in various military areas, for example in individual aircraft platforms by 2027.
The CROWN consortium
The 30-month project was officially launched on July 6th and 7th, 2021 and has a budget of around EUR 10 million. The CROWN consortium is coordinated by Indra (Spain) and comprises a total of 11 leading industrial companies, research centers and experts from seven EU countries. In addition to Indra, Thales (France), Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales - ONERA (France), Hensoldt Sensors (Germany), the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany), Saab (Sweden), Totalforsvarets Forskningsinstitut - FOI ( Sweden), Nederlandse Organizatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek - TNO (Netherlands), Leonardo (Italy), Elettronica (Italy) and Baltijos Pazangiu Technologiju Institutas - BPTI (Lithuania).
About the PADR
PADR was launched by the European Commission in 2017 to assess and demonstrate the added value of EU-funded defense research and technology. The implementation of the PADR is carried out by the EDA within the framework of a delegation agreement signed on May 31, 2017 between the European Commission and the EDA. With this agreement, the Commission entrusts the EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects launched under the PADR.