Defence: new joint call for 2026

The Defence Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of the Economy, the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) and Luxinnovation are spearheading this new funding opportunity within the defence sector.

It specifically targets consortia made up of private companies and public research organisations based in Luxembourg.

Accessing the European defence market from Luxembourg

Starting on 15 September, this call for projects invites proposals aimed at creating and validating innovative defence solutions. These solutions should benefit the Luxembourg army, international defence organisations, and the defence forces of allied nations. The projects must be integrated into European Union or NATO defence development initiatives, such as those facilitated by the European Defence Agency (EDA), the European Defence Fund (EDF), or NATO.

A structuring opportunity for Luxembourg companies to make themselves known and increase their visibility within the European defence ecosystem. Rebecca Damotte, Luxinnovation

"The European defence market remains highly concentrated around a limited number of Member States. In 2024, the top five contributors within the European Union – Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain – together accounted for around 69% of total EU defence spending," explains Rebecca Damotte, Defence Innovation & Technology Advisor at Luxinnovation. “For Luxembourg players, access to these markets remains complex, particularly due to the requirements for qualification, certification, and integration into often long-established supply chains. This is why this type of joint call represents a structuring opportunity for Luxembourg companies to make themselves known and increase their visibility within the European defence ecosystem.”

Objectives: to support R&D in defence technologies

The call for projects seeks to fund consortia that develop technologies, materials, or solutions with significant potential for defence applications. Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of their projects to both Luxembourg and European defence needs. 

Additionally, the initiative aligns with the government's commitment to support projects yielding positive economic and societal returns for Luxembourg and to allocate 2% of GDP to defence spending.

The themes of the call

Proposals are encouraged in alignment with national, European, and NATO defence priorities and strategies. 

While not limited to these categories, proposals are welcome in the following defence technology areas:

• Materials
• Space
• Cybersecurity
• Autonomous Systems and AI
• Circularity in defence 

Funding Details

The FNR will finance eligible public research organisations in Luxembourg up to €750,000 per project, covering project-specific costs. The Ministry of the Economy will co-finance eligible Luxembourg companies' costs up to €1 million per project through the R&D support scheme.

Key dates and funding rates

• Launch date: September 15, 2026
• Deadline for applications by: 11 December 2026 at 11:00 CEST. 
• Maximum co-financing rates for companies in the context of a collaboration are as follows:

Informational Webinar

A first general information webinar was held on 9 July in English. You can watch the replay and review the documentation that was presented during the session.

A second webinar is scheduled for 5 October. This will be a Q&A format, providing an opportunity to explore the initiative in greater detail.