MBDA has received a contract to launch a new tranche of research and technology under the Anglo-French materials and components for missiles-innovation and technology partnership (MCM-ITP) research and technology programme.
The contract was awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA).
MBDA, along with the MCM-ITP industrial consortium, has opened an annual call for research proposals from all Anglo-French companies and academic institutions during December 2013.
MBDA Technical executive group director and UK managing director Steve Wadey said MCM-ITP programme enables France and the UK to closely collaborate in their research and technology objectives.
”At its heart is the drive for innovation and we allocate 30% of the funds to small medium enterprises and public and private laboratories,” Wadey said.
”Preparing the right technologies for the future generation of missile systems with high levels of innovation provides a foundation for a competitive and integrated industrial base in France and the UK.”
With an annual budget of up to €13m, the MCM ITP programme funds proposals from industry, small medium enterprises (SMEs) and academia on an annual cycle, with the aim of developing new, exploitable technologies for generation-after-next missile systems.
Involving 50% of the funding from industry partners, the unique MCM-ITP business model is now continuing into its second phase through to 2015 and beyond.
Comprising more than 100 industrial partners, SMEs, research centres and academia in France and the UK, the programme has supported over 100 advanced research projects over the past six years.
