Belgian national defence and space industrial association Agora, Dutch national defence and space industrial association NIDV and Luxembourg’s national innovation agency, Luxinnovation, have signed a Letter of Intent focused on cooperation at the Le Bourget airshow in Paris.
Lena Mårtensson
The three organisations intend to work more closely together in the fields of space, cyber, aerospace and communication and information systems (CIS). More detailed collaboration opportunities will be identified in the coming months.
Together, Agora, NIDV and Luxinnovation represent or support the full range of defense and security industry in their countries, thus representing more than 600 companies and research organisations.
The Letter of Intent between the defence and space industrial associations in the Netherlands and Belgium and the Luxembourg innovation agency is an important first step toward closer cooperation between the industries in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
“European co-operation in the field of defence and security is gaining momentum within the European Union,” comments Hans Huigen, Director of NIDV. “The European Defence Fund is a good example of how industries and knowledge institutions across Europe can work together to reach common goals. The Letter of Intent between the defence and space industrial associations in the Netherlands and Belgium and the Luxembourg innovation agency is an important first step toward closer cooperation between the industries in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.”
Luxembourg defence capabilities catalogue In the context of the Paris Air Show, Luxinnovation released the Luxembourg Defence Capabilities Industry & Research Catalogue 2023, which includes 80 companies and research organisations that develop capabilities for security and defence. More than 40 entities amongst them are currently engaged in European Defence Agency (EDA) or European Defence Fund (EDF) projects.
Through collaboration with our Belgium and Netherlands partners, we hope to foster industry and research partnerships that will enable Luxembourg industry and research to integrate the EU defence value chain.
“We are observing a considerable increase of interest from the Luxembourg industry and research in providing technology solutions to European security and defence,” says Sasha Baillie, CEO of Luxinnovation. “Through collaboration with our Belgium and Netherlands partners, we hope to foster industry and research partnerships that will enable Luxembourg industry and research to integrate the EU defence value chain and strengthen the contribution of Benelux industry to the EU’s and NATO’s defence capability development efforts.”
Over 60 companies and research organisation featured in the catalogue are developing dual-use technologies relevant for space, aerospace, cyber and CIS. More than 40 of them are active in defence capability development and research and technology programmes such as the CapTechs of the EDA, the EDF and NATO.
