In the margins of yesterday’s EDA Steering Board meeting in R&T Directors composition, six EDA Member States (Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden) as well as Norway (which has signed an Administrative Arrangement with the Agency) signed a project arrangement to develop a new research project on ‘Additive Manufacturing Techniques for Energetic Materials’ (AMTEM).
Under the lead of France, 15 European research organizations and defence industrial players will investigate the potential of 3D printing (Additive Manufacturing) technologies for producing future explosives and propellants. The objective of the project is to identify appropriate 3D printing materials and production techniques for novel warheads and propellants with enhanced performance, in order to enable a faster and cheaper production of prototypes and short series.
The project is meant to help develop new weapon system concepts with increased performance and to enhance Europe’s defence technological and industrial base.
The project will have a duration of 4 years.