The European Defence Agency’s participating Member States have endorsed an update of the Capability Development Plan (CDP) defining the future military needs and priorities of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), and also agreed to reshape the priorities set out in 2008.
The initial CDP was endorsed in July 2008 and the present updated CDP encompasses substantial additional input, in particular on short-term needs based on the Headline Goal Process and lessons from operations. The update led by the EDA is based on important contributions made by participating Member States, the EU Military Committee and the European External Action Service.
The CDP is now firmly established as a tool for informing Member States’ capability development. It remains the Agency’s ‘overall strategic tool’, driving Research & Technology investment, Armaments collaborations and Defence Industry & Market activities.
The update has also enabled the reshaping of the initial tranche of 12 prioritised actions agreed on in 2008. The Steering Board has approved a set of prioritised actions that will be focal points for the Agency’s activities in the years to come. They are presented in three groups as follows:
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CDP Top 10 Priorities, consisting of: Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED); Medical Support; Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance; Increased Availability of Helicopters; Cyber Defence; Multinational Logistic Support; CSDP Information Exchange; Strategic and Tactical Airlift Management; Fuel and Energy; Mobility Assurance.
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Maturing/Mature Actions, consisting of: Maritime Mine Counter-Measures; Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear defence; Counter-Man Portable Air Detection Systems; Military Human Intelligence.
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Core Drivers/Environments, consisting of: Comprehensive Approach; Network Enabled Capabilities; Radio Spectrum Management for EU Capabilities; Space; Single European Sky.
The CDP priorities, many of which are already EDA projects and programmes, offer good opportunities for Pooling & Sharing between the participating Member States.